FiscalYear2013President’sBudget

BudgetJustification

UnitedStates

Departmentof

Agriculture

ForestService

February2012
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Table of Contents i

USDA Forest Service

FY 2013 Budget Justification

Table of Contents

Page

Annual Performance Report............................................................................................ 1-1

Appropriation Language Changes............................................................... 2-1

Forest and Rangeland Research.................................................................. 3-1

State and Private Forestry......................................................................... 4-1

Landscape Scale Restoration 4-4

Forest Health Management................................................................. 4-6

Federal Lands....................................................................... 4-11

Cooperative Lands.................................................................. 4-17

Cooperative Fire Protection................................................................ 4-21

State Fire Assistance............................................................... 4-22

Volunteer Fire Assistance......................................................... 4-23

Cooperative Forestry........................................................................ 4-24

Forest Stewardship Program...................................................... 4-25

Forest Legacy Program............................................................ 4-29

Community Forest and Open Space Conservation.............................

Urban and Community Forestry .................................................

4-32

4-34

Forest Resources Information and Analysis.................................... 4-37

International Forestry........................................................................ 4-38

National Forest System............................................................................. 5-1

Integrated Resource Restoration........................................................... 5-4

Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration 5-11

Land Management Planning, Assessment and Monitoring............................ 5-18

Recreation, Heritage, and Wilderness..................................................... 5-25

Grazing Management....................................................................... 5-32

Minerals and Geology Management...................................................... 5-35

Landownership Management............................................................... 5-42

Law Enforcement Operations.............................................................. 5-47

Valles Caldera National Preserve......................................................... 5-50

Subsistence Management.................................................................. 5-53

Capital Improvement and Maintenance........................................................ 6-1

Facilities....................................................................................... 6-2

Roads.......................................................................................... 6-9

Trails.......................................................................................... 6-15

Deferred Maintenance and Infrastructure Improvement................................ 6-18
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Table of Contents ii

Land Acquisition.................................................................................... 7-1

Other Appropriations.............................................................................. 8-1

Range Betterment Fund.................................................................... 8-1

Gifts, Donations, and Bequests for Forest and Rangeland Research................. 8-3

Management of National Forest Lands for Subsistence Uses ........................ 8-4

Wildland Fire Management....................................................................... 9-1

Preparedness.................................................................................. 9-3

Suppression................................................................................... 9-7

Fire Operations—Other ..................................................................... 9-11

Hazardous Fuels..................................................................... 9-12

Rehabilitation and Restoration.................................................... 917

Research and Development........................................................ 9-19

Joint Fire Science Program........................................................ 9-22

Forest Health Management—Federal Lands.................................... 9-24

Forest Health Management—Cooperative Lands.............................. 9-25

State Fire Assistance............................................................... 9-26

Volunteer Fire Assistance......................................................... 9-30

FLAME Wildfire Suppression Reserve Fund.................................................

Payments to Communities.......................................................

10-1

11-1

Permanent Appropriations........................................................................ 12-1

Brush Disposal............................................................................... 12-3

Licensee Program (Smokey Bear and Woodsy Owl)................................... 12-5

Restoration of Forest Lands and Improvements.......................................... 12-6

Federal Land and Recreation Enhancement Program .................................. 12-8

Federal Land and Facility Enhancement Fund........................................... 12-10

Timber Road - Purchaser Election Construction Program............................ 12-16

Timber Salvage Sales........................................................................ 12-18

Stewardship Contracting.................................................................... 12-20

Timber Sales Pipeline Restoration Fund.................................................. 12-23

Forest Botanical Products................................................................... 12-25

Roads and Trails (10 Percent) Fund....................................................... 12-27

Midewin National Tall Grass Prairie Rental Fee Fund................................. 12-29

Midewin National Tall Grass Prairie Restoration Fund................................ 12-30

Operation and Maintenance of Quarters.................................................. 12-31

Land Between the Lakes Management Fund............................................. 12-33

Valles Caldera Fund......................................................................... 12-35

Administration of Rights-of-Way and Other Land Uses............................... 12-37

Payment Funds............................................................................... 12-40
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Table of Contents iii

Trust Funds.......................................................................................... 13-1

Cooperative Work Trust Fund—Knutson-Vandenberg (K-V) Fund................. 13-2

Cooperative Work Trust Fund—Other .................................................. 13-5

Land Between the Lakes Trust Fund..................................................... 13-7

Reforestation Trust Fund................................................................... 13-8

Special Exhibits ..................................................................................... 14-1

1. Bark Beetle Infestation in the West................................................... 14-3

2. Biomass and Bioenergy................................................................ 14-7

3. Centralized Business Services.......................................................... 14-11

4. Chief’s Reserve Fund ................................................................... 14-17

5. Conservation Education ................................................................. 14-19

6. Cost Pool (both Direct and Indirect) Totals ......................................... 14-23

7 Deferred Maintenance and Asset Management....................................... 14-31

8 Gaining Efficiencies and Cost Control Management............................... 14-35

9 Facilities Maintenance Assessment .................................................... 14-43

10. Fire Transfers ............................................................................. 14-47

11. Knutson-Vandenberg (K-V) Financial Status ....................................... 14-49

12. National Scenic and Historic Trails .................................................. 14-51

13. Office of General Counsel Reimbursement .......................................... 14-59

14. Office of Tribal Relations ............................................................. 14-61

15. Partnerships .............................................................................. 14-63

16. Reforestation ............................................................................. 14-69

17. Region, Station, and Area Allocation FY 2008 -2010............................... 14-73

18. Research and Development Threat Assessment Centers .......................... 14-85

19. Service First .............................................................................. 14-91

20. Stewardship Contracting............................................................... 14-93

21. Strengthening Service Initiative....................................................... 14-101

22. Sustainable Operations .................................................................. 14-103

23. Unobligated Balances .................................................................. 14-105

24. USDA Working Capital Fund and Greenbook Charges........................... 14-107

25. Wood Education and Resource Center............................................... 14-121

26. Working Capital Fund - Forest Service ..............................................

27. Working Capital Fund - Forest Service Fleet Management.......................

14-125

14-127

Authorities............................................................................................ 15-1
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Table of Contents iv

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FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Annual Performance Report 1-1

USDA Forest Service

Annual Performance Report

Table of Contents

Introduction................................................................................................ 2

Forest Service Contributions to USDA Strategic Goal Objectives and Measures............... 3

Forest Service Strategic Plan Overview............................................................... 5

FY 2013 President’s Budget by Strategic Goal....................................................... 6

FY 2013 Full Time Equivalents by Forest Service Strategic Goal................................. 6

Forest Service Strategic Goal 1......................................................................... 7

Forest Service Strategic Goal 2......................................................................... 16

Forest Service Strategic Goal 3......................................................................... 20

Forest Service Strategic Goal 4......................................................................... 24

Forest Service Strategic Goal 5......................................................................... 27

Forest Service Strategic Goal 6......................................................................... 29

Forest Service Strategic Goal 7......................................................................... 32

Corrective Action Plan for Measures with FY 2011 Variance from Targets for Strategic 

Objectives.................................................................................................. 35

External Audits, Reviews and Management Challenges............................................. 41
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Annual Performance Report 1-2

Introduction

The Nation’s forests are a fundamental part of our scenic landscape, American identity, ecological 

resources, and the legacy we provide for future generations. They provide opportunities for recreation, 

jobs, building materials, and clean air and water. Tracking our activities through performance measures 

provides the Forest Service the opportunity to demonstrate our achievements, explain challenges, and 

examine our approaches and benchmarks. 

This chapter presents the Forest Service’s performance information within the framework of the U.S. 

Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) and Forest Service’s strategic plans. It also serves as the agency’s 

Government Performance and Results Act Annual Performance Report for FY 2011. The discussion for 

each goal includes: 1) performance data for FY 2009 through FY 2011, 2) an assessment of those results, 

3) corrective action plans where appropriate, and 4) implications for FY 2012 and FY 2013 targets. The 

Annual Performance Report is one of three reports issued by the Forest Service to describe financial and 

performance results. The other two reports include the Annual Financial Report issued in December 2011 

and a Summary of Performance and Financial Information in February 2012. All three reports are 

available on the Forest Service website (www.fs.fed.us) upon their release.

Forest Service Mission

Forest Service Performance Management Framework

The Forest Service integrates performance management by weaving it through many different staff roles 

and locations. Within each of the four Deputy Areas (National Forest System, State and Private Forestry, 

Research and Development, and Business Operations), the Deputy Chiefs work with staff to develop, 

track, and implement effective plans to achieve strategic performance. This information is also 

coordinated with the Chief of the Forest Service, who provides reports on performance to the USDA 

Under Secretary for Natural Resources and Environment. This structure is used to integrate valuable 

information and resources from the Washington Office and throughout the country, including:

155 forests and 20 National grasslands that contain more than 600 ranger districts

Nine regional offices

Northeastern Area for State and Private Forestry

Seven research stations including Forest Products Laboratory and the International Institute for 

Tropical Forestry 

Three Centralized Business Services

Performance accountability is an integral part of Forest Service operating standards, as it aligns projects 

and initiatives with long-term targets and strategic goals. We generate and determine targets for staff, 

regions, stations, and the Northeastern Area based on our strategic goals and objectives and input from 

executive leaders as to on-the-ground needs and characteristics. Each unit within the agency develops a 

program of work consisting of specific projects to realize objectives based on congressional direction, the 

The Forest Service mission is to:

Sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the Nation’s forests and 

grasslands to meet the needs of present and future generations.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Annual Performance Report 1-3

departmental and agency strategic plans, resource management plans, and budget allocations. Project 

plans are reviewed and updated throughout the fiscal year to reflect changed conditions. 

Accomplishment data is gathered at the national forest level, reported in a designated database, and 

summarized by region and agency level for use by internal and external audiences. Accomplishments for 

key performance measures are used as part of the annual performance evaluations of the Regional 

Foresters and other Senior Executive Service members. This process provides concrete linkages between 

our strategic goals and our day to day activities. 

Managers, supervisors, and project staff are responsible for reviewing the completeness and quality of the 

data at the ranger district, national forest, and regional levels. The Forest Service requires regional level 

line officers to certify that all appropriate procedures have been performed to ensure validity and 

reliability of key performance data, and to document data items that do not meet the standard. The 

Strategic Planning, Budget and Accountability Performance staff conduct periodic reviews to also ensure 

appropriate procedures are followed during the year. We also analyze year-end accomplishment reports to 

develop national-level corrective action plans for unmet measures. This multi-stage update and review 

process provides a reliable and extensive protocol for monitoring and measuring our goals. This 

information has proved consistent and reliable in reflecting on the ground accomplishments, strategies, 

and challenges.

Forest Service Contributions to the USDA Strategic Plan 

In 2010, USDA published a new five-year strategic plan. The Forest Service plays a major role in helping 

accomplish the following goal:

Specific performance measures that show the Forest Service’s contributions to this goal are listed on the 

next page, followed by an update on progress toward the agency’s own strategic plan goals during FY 

2011.

USDA Strategic Goal 2

Ensure our national forests and private working lands are conserved, 

restored, and made more resilient to climate change, while enhancing our 

water resources.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Annual Performance Report 1-4

Forest Service Contributions to USDA Strategic Goal Objectives and Measures:

Performance Measure

USDA 

Baseline

FY 2011 

Target

FY 2011 

Actual

FY 2012 

Target

FY 2013 

Target

FY 2015 

Target

1.1.5* Annual economic contribution of recreation on National Forests and 

Grasslands (number of jobs) 237,800 237,800 237,800 237,800 237,800 247,300

2.1.1 Annual acres of public and private forest lands restored or enhanced N/A 3,737,365 4,924,904 3,992,210 4,322,384 4,337,500

2.1.3 Percentage of non-Federal and USDA-managed grazing lands with 

conservation or management applied to improve or sustain 

productivity and ecological health

34.6% 28.7% 28.7% 20.1% 20.1% 20.1%

2.1.4 Total acres of agriculture and forest landscapes protected from 

conversion through conservation easements and fee simple 

purchases, to preserve natural resource quality, open space, and rural 

amenities

1,923,549 2,493,795 2,431,903 2,827,951 2,791,950 2,860,000

2.1.5*** Number of communities with urban and community forestry 

programs resulting from Forest Service assistance 7,139 7,200 7,172 7,200 7,200 7,639

2.2.3 Percent of National Forests in compliance with the Forest Service 

climate change adaptation and mitigation strategy 0% 3% 16% 17% 40% 100%

2.3.1 Acres of National Forest system watersheds at or near natural 

condition 58,000,000 61,968,000 102,735,767 102,749,436 102,749,436 62,000,000

2.3.4** Acres on which high impact targeted (HIT) practices are 

implemented on National Forest and private working lands in 

priority landscapes to accelerate the protection of clean, abundant 

water resources

0 600,000 304,565 300,000 300,000 300,000

2.4.1 Number of communities with reduced risk from catastrophic wildfire 10,000 14,000 3,902 13,300 7,980 18,000

2.4.2 Cumulative number of acres in the National Forest System that are in 

a desired condition relative to fire regime 58,500,000 59,610,600 59,269,943 60,089,400 60,568,200 61,500,000

2.4.3*** Percentage of acres treated in the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) 

that have been identified in community wildfire protection plans or 

equivalent plans.

41.0% 75.0% 60.8% 75.% 75% 55.0%

*Progress on measure 1.1.5 is not updated annually. The Forest Service calculates the impact of our national forests and grasslands on rural economies every four years, so we 

have identified one target for the entire strategic plan period. The next update will occur in 2014. Throughout this time, we will continue to support rural prosperity by conserving 

working forests, providing service contracts for a variety of activities, emphasizing the use of stewardship contracts, providing technical training to youth at our 28 Job Corps 

centers, and maintaining the recreational value of national forests and grasslands.

**Multiple agencies within USDA contribute to measure 2.3.4 to implement practices that have a high impact on water resources in targeted landscapes. In 2010, USDA identified 

landscapes of national importance including national forests and private working lands in the Chesapeake Bay, Great Lakes, Upper/Lower Mississippi, and California Bay Delta, 

and updated the contribution each agency will make to the goal in the immediate future. Agencies continue to discuss how they will work together to achieve the 2015 goal of nine 

million acres for the entire Department. The Forest Service is working with NRCS and FSA to develop outcome-based measures for 2012 and subsequent years

***FY 2012 targets for measures 2.1.5 and 2.4.3 have been revised from those published in the FY 2012 Budget Justification to better reflect agency capability and recent 

performance trends.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Annual Performance Report 1-5

Forest Service Strategic Plan Overview

The remainder of this chapter follows the format of the Forest Service Strategic Plan for FY 

2007–2012. Each goal includes specific strategic objectives and strategic performance measures, 

with baselines and FY 2013 targets for each measure. The Forest Service is currently developing 

a new Strategic Plan and reporting in future years will be based on this plan.

The FY 2007-2012 Forest Service Strategic Plan is located at: http://www.fs.fed.us/plan

Outlined below are the Forest Service strategic goals and how they align to the USDA strategic 

plan.

We met or exceeded 57 percent of our strategic goal targets in 2011. Of those targets that were 

not met, we improved upon the previous year’s performance in almost half of the cases. For 

example, the agency was able to increase the percentage of acres treated in the wildland-urban 

interface that have been identified in community wildfire protection plans or equivalent plans 

from 44.8 percent (737,591 acres) in FY 2010 to 60.8 percent (679,256 acres) in FY 2011.

Additionally, the percentage of fires not contained in initial attack that exceed a stratified cost 

index was lowered from 39.7 percent in FY 2010 to 20.8 percent in FY 2011.

Goals are considered to be ―met‖ if actual accomplishments are within five percent of the stated 

target for that year. Descriptions of and explanations for unmet targets for strategic measures 

from FY 2011 are summarized toward the end of this chapter.

Forest Service Strategic Goals

Goal 1: Restore, Sustain, and Enhance 

the Nation’s Forests and Grasslands

Goal 2: Provide and Sustain Benefits to 

the American People

Goal 3: Conserve Open Space

Goal 4: Sustain and Enhance Outdoor 

Recreation Opportunities

Goal 5: Maintain Basic Management 

Capabilities of the Forest Service

Goal 6: Engage Urban America with 

Forest Service Programs

Goal 7: Provide Science-Based 

Applications and Tools for Sustainable 

Natural Resources Management

USDA Strategic Goal #2:

Ensure our national forests and 

private working lands are 

conserved, restored, and made 

more resilient to climate 

change, while enhancing our 

water resources
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Annual Performance Report 1-6

FY 2013 Budget Request by Forest Service Strategic Goal*

FY 2013 Full Time Equivalents by Forest Service Strategic Goal*

*Estimates

FY 2013

FY 2011 FY2012 President's

Enacted Enacted Budget

Goal 1: Restore, Sustain and Enhance the Nations's Forests and Grasslands $4,218,202 $4,020,902 $3,987,678

Goal 2: Provide and Sustain Benefits to the American People 234,345 223,383 221,538

Goal 3: Conserve Open Space 292,931 279,229 276,922

Goal 4: Sustain and Enhance Outdoor Recreation Opportunities 527,275 502,613 498,460

Goal 5: Maintain Basic Management Capabilites of the Forest Service 410,103 390,921 387,691

Goal 6: Engage Urban America with Forest Service Programs 58,586 55,846 55,384

Goal 7: Provide Science-Based Applications and Tools for Sustainable Natural Resources Management 117,172 111,692 110,769

$5,858,614 $5,584,586 $5,538,442

(dollars in thousands)

Grand Total, Forest Service

Goal 1

72%

Goal 2

4%

Goal 3

5%

Goal 4

9%

Goal 5

7%

Goal 6

1%

Goal 7

2%

FY 2013 President's Budget

FY 2013

FY 2011 FY2012 President's

Enacted Enacted Budget

Goal 1: Restore, Sustain and Enhance the Nations's Forests and Grasslands 22,372 21,560 21,417

Goal 2: Provide and Sustain Benefits to the American People 3,158 3,044 3,024

Goal 3: Conserve Open Space 351 338 336

Goal 4: Sustain and Enhance Outdoor Recreation Opportunities 5,263 5,074 5,040

Goal 5: Maintain Basic Management Capabilites of the Forest Service 2,807 2,706 2,688

Goal 6: Engage Urban America with Forest Service Programs 85 87 85

Goal 7: Provide Science-Based Applications and Tools for Sustainable Natural Resources Management 1,053 1,015 1,008

Grand Total, Forest Service 35,089 33,824 33,597
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Annual Performance Report 1-7

Results by Forest Service Strategic Plan Goal

The health of our Nation depends, in many ways, on the vitality of our Nation’s forests and 

grasslands. These natural resources contribute a variety of essential elements to our well-being, 

including clean air and water. Stewardship of this land involves a complex integration of 

programs that foster recreation, energy, forest products, and resource sustainability. Following 

Secretary Vilsack’s vision, the Forest Service is focusing on improving the health of forest and 

grassland watersheds, restoring ecosystem function, and increasing forest resilience. Along with 

internal and external partners, the Forest Service has demonstrated many accomplishments in this 

area, including the improvement of millions of acres of terrestrial habitat, and thousands of miles 

of streams and acres of lake habitats for imperiled, common, and economically significant species 

throughout the Nation.

Many challenges continue to test the resilience of the Nation’s forests and grasslands. Population 

growth and expanding urban centers raise demand for goods, services, and amenities from the 

Nation’s private and public forests and rangelands. Today, approximately 83 percent of the 

Nation’s population lives in an urban area. Natural disturbances and non-natural changes also 

increase the stress and risk of severe wildfire for forest and rangeland ecosystems. 

The threats that face forests and grasslands can sometimes be a natural part of the ecosystem 

cycle. Fire, for instance, when strategically managed, can help forests grow stronger and more 

resilient in the long run. It is our role to support the forests’ and grasslands’ resiliency. Our role is 

also to assist and mitigate risks if threats overwhelm defenses or pose a risk to the public. 

Another example of natural threats include invasive and native pests, including certain insects, 

pathogens, plants, and aquatic pests, that pose a long-term risk to forest and rangeland health. 

Recent trends such as over-crowded forest stands and drought conditions have increased the 

extent and frequency of insect (e.g., mountain pine beetle and gypsy moth) and disease outbreaks. 

In response, the Forest Service programs prevent, detect, monitor, evaluate, and suppress insects 

and disease to restore and protect Federal forestlands and lands owned by States, local 

governments, private organizations, and individual land owners.

Forest Service efforts to restore and enhance ecosystem health also address the quantity and 

quality of water produced from public and private forests and rangelands, and improve terrestrial 

and aquatic habitat for wildlife and fish. We manage national forests and grasslands and support 

State and private management of non-Federal and tribal lands in order to make the Nation’s 

wildland ecosystems more resilient and better able to respond to future threats and risks.

Forest Service Strategic Goal 1: Restore, sustain, and enhance the Nation’s 

forests and grasslands. 

Key Outcome: Forests and grasslands with the capacity to maintain their 

health, productivity, diversity, and resistance to unnaturally severe disturbance. 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Annual Performance Report 1-8

Principal Programs to Achieve Goal 1

The largest budgetary investment for maintaining forest and rangeland health, productivity, 

diversity, and resistance to disturbance is supported from Wildland Fire Management. Other 

programs that contribute to this goal are also discussed below. 

Wildland Fire Management recognizes the importance of integrating fire as a critical natural 

process in land and resource management plans and activities, managing wildfire across 

landownership boundaries, and applying the best available science. Prior-year investments in fire 

management planning have been used to develop a full range of fire management tactics in 

response to naturally occurring fires. Such responses may include avoiding suppression 

expenditures where fires are burning within pre-determined conditions that will produce desired 

reductions in hazardous fuels and restore fire-adapted ecosystem conditions—without presenting 

significant risk to communities and the environment. 

Within Wildland Fire Management, the Hazardous Fuels program plays an important role in 

restoring forest health and reducing wildfire risks. Hazardous fuel reduction reduces the quantity 

or changes the arrangement of naturally occurring living and dead vegetation in forests, 

woodlands, shrublands, and grasslands through prescribed burning, mechanical treatments, and 

other methods. 

To provide needed information, the Wildland Fire and Fuels Research and Development provides 

managers and policymakers essential knowledge and tools for making cost-effective and 

environmentally-sound fire management decisions. Products from Fire R&D ensure that the best 

science is available to sustain and enhance resource values and public benefits and to minimize 

negative impacts of fire and its interactions with other disturbances on natural resources, water 

and air quality, and society. 

Within State and Private Forestry, Goal 1 activities are supported by the Forest Health Programs 

for Federal and Cooperative lands. The Forest Health Management Program provides insect, 

disease, and invasive plant survey and monitoring information on forest health conditions for 

Federal forestlands and other land owners. Forest Health Management uses science, active land 

management, and technology transfer expertise to restore and sustain forest landscapes – across 

urban, private, State, Tribal, and Federal forests. 

Integrated Resource Restoration (IRR) is the foundation for the watershed, fish and wildlife, 

forest, and rangeland restoration and enhancement activities on National Forest System lands. 

Restoration and maintenance of sustainable landscapes and watersheds involves a holistic 

approach and includes actions to restore or sustain water quality and watershed processes; 

resilient and disturbance-tolerant landscapes; soil condition, stability and productivity; vegetative 

composition and condition; fish and wildlife habitat and populations; and aquatic ecosystems 

connectivity. The program directly funds landscape-scale restoration projects and leverages 

accomplishment of additional restoration objectives through program integration and 

partnerships. Management priority for the program is to focus activities in specific areas−whether 

forests, landscapes, or watersheds−to address the problems posed with the appropriately scaled, 

identified treatment; to create healthy, resilient ecosystems; restore fire-adapted landscapes; and 

improve watersheds. These investments will help sustain and restore the core components of 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Annual Performance Report 1-9

functioning ecosystems, enhance watershed resilience in the face of climate change, and help 

meet the increasing demand for water resources. More than half of our Nation’s freshwater flows 

from public and private forestlands and approximately 66 million Americans rely on drinking 

water that originates from the National Forest System. Forest Service management combined 

with assistance to private landowners helps protect the single greatest source of drinking water in 

the Nation.

Goal 1 – Key Performance Measure Assessment for Wildland Fire Management

Objective 1.1 Reduce the risk to communities and natural resources from wildfire*

Objective 1.2 Suppress wildfires efficiently and effectively

 

* Measure 1.1a(1) is calculated using change in condition class. In FY 2006, the information was not available for all 

vegetation treatments, so a ratio was applied to attain these baseline numbers. In FY 2007, data became available 

for all treatments. Improvements in data and calculation methodology required that the FY 2007 numbers be 

updated in FY 2008. With the change in the Hazardous Fuels program to focus on WUI acres—which usually have 

higher unit costs—the FY2012 and 2013 targets have been reduced to better reflect agency capability.

The FY 2012 goal of 300,000 acres is based on trend information reflected from the baseline through FY 2010 actual 

accomplishments, combined with our continued priority to utilize stewardship contracting as the primary tool to 

implement restoration treatments. It represents a doubling of the original Strategic Plan goal.

Baseline

FY2009 

Actual

FY 2010 

Actual

FY 2011 

Target

FY 2011 

Actual

Percent of 

Target 

Achieved

FY 2012 

Target

FY 2013 

Target

1.1.a. Number and percentage of acres treated to 

restore fire-adapted ecosystems

(1) Moved toward desired conditions

Number (acres) 991,000 799,215 693,957 960,000 787,478 82% 640,000 540,000

Percentage 39% 27% 24% 40% 35% 88% 40% 40%

(2) Maintained in desired conditions

Number (acres) 830,000 1,146,720 1,231,800 1,200,000 1,028,611 86% 800,000 675,000

Percentage 33.0% 38.0% 42.0% 50.0% 45.0% 90% 50.0% 50.0%

1.1.b. Number of acres brought into stewardship 

contracts 

 57,500 88,304 152,834 250,000 100,577 40% 300,000 300,000

Baseline

FY2009 

Actual

FY 2010 

Actual

FY 2011 

Target

FY 2011 

Actual

Percent of 

Target 

Achieved

FY 2012 

Target

FY 2013 

Target

1.2.a Percentage of fires not 

contained in initial 

attack that exceed a 

stratified cost index

24.0% 22.0% 39.7% 18.0% 20.8% -16% 14.0% 18.0%
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Annual Performance Report 1-10

Objective 1.3 Build community capacity to suppress and reduce losses from wildfires

Goal 1 - FY 2011 Results Summary and Assessment for Wildland Fire Management

In FY 2011, the Forest Service accomplished 82 percent (787,478 acres) of the target for the 

number of acres treated to restore fire-adapted ecosystems which are moved toward desired 

conditions. Natural processes, such as long-term drought and the severity of the fire season, as 

well as resource availability, affect this measure, resulting in fluctuations in annual performance 

and trend. While the agency continues to meet ―total acres treated‖ goals, it often takes multiple 

treatments to move an area toward desired conditions and it may take repeated entries over time 

to maintain an area in desired condition. Many treatments were designed to reduce risk to 

communities or sensitive watersheds. These types of treatments may not have changed condition 

class, though they achieved their goals. We continue to focus on treating more strategic acres, 

many of which are in the more costly WUI areas.

The Forest Service suppression performance measures are program outcome and efficiency 

measures that focus on reducing fire risk. To help analyze suppression costs the agency uses an 

efficiency measure that compares actual to expected suppression costs via a stratified cost index 

(SCI). SCI is a set of predictive models based on spatially explicit historical large fire data from 

1995-2004. SCI determines expected suppression costs for each fire utilizing several factors 

found to influence suppression costs. Fires with costs more than one standard deviation higher or 

lower than expected are considered outside the range of expected SCI costs. In real time, the SCI 

provides a comparison of a fire’s expenditures to historical fires with similar characteristics 

(including fuel type, slope, elevation, and total housing value), increasing cost awareness and 

providing a basis for fire incident budgeting. 

In FY 2011, the percent of incidents not contained in initial attack that exceeded the SCI in FY 

2011 was 20.8 percent. Although we did not achieve our planned accomplishment, 18 percent, we 

did have a significant improvement from FY 2010 due to the implementation of risk management 

and fiscal accountability initiatives. The FY 2011 accomplishment reflects the downward trend of 

previous years excluding FY 2010, and it is expected that this trend will continue. 

In FY 2011, agency accomplished 81 percent of the target for the percentage of acres treated in 

the WUI identified in a Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) or equivalent - 60.8

percent. The agency continues to focus on working with our partner communities to develop and 

implement CWPPs by providing technical assistance. The agency continues to emphasize the 

importance of these plans in identifying where to focus scarce fuels treatment resources. This 

outcome has more than doubled since the baseline of 17 percent in FY 2006.

Baseline

FY2009 

Actual

FY 2010 

Actual

FY 2011 

Target

FY 2011 

Actual

Percent of 

Target 

Achieved

FY 2012 

Target

FY 2013 

Target

1.3.a Percentage of acres 

treated in the wildlandurban interface that 

have been identified in 

community wildfire 

protection plans or 

equivalent plans.

17.0% 41.0% 44.8% 75.0% 60.8% 81% 75.0% 75.0%
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Annual Performance Report 1-11

Implications for FY 2012 and FY 2013 

The Forest Service will continue to focus on treating hazardous fuels near communities in the 

Wildland Urban Interface, resulting in fewer acres treated and therefore fewer acres changing 

condition class. This is due to the fact that these areas, while strategically important, are often 

expensive to operate in. We will continue to focus on treating more strategic acres, many of 

which are in the more costly WUI areas. In addition, we will be increasing our focus and efforts 

to treat WUI acres identified in CWPP’s.

Under this goal, the Forest Service continues a major effort to effectively address the wildfire 

situation in an efficient, integrated and comprehensive manner. In order to improve outcomes for 

FY 2012 and FY 2013, we will emphasize integrated restoration as well as strategic, riskinformed management and use of wildland fire where appropriate. We will continue to achieve 

targets by working across programs and in collaboration with Federal and non-Federal partners.

Means and Strategies for Success 

The detailed program budget justification identifies the operations and capital investments 

required to continue efforts on these objectives. In particular, we will emphasize the following:

Working with communities to develop, implement, and update Community Wildfire 

Protection Plans and improve local wildfire suppression capability and coordination. 

Strategically and safely managing wildfire, promoting the appropriate use of prescribed 

fire, maintaining resilient land and water conditions at the watershed level, and restoring 

deteriorated lands and waters through strategic, risk-informed management and use of 

wildland fire. The Phase II of the Cohesive Strategy will build upon the national strategy 

through development of regional strategies and comparative risk assessments that take 

into account local and regional priorities. This science-based framework will allow for 

systematic evaluation of a range of alternative future scenarios and land management 

options at national, regional, and sub-regional scales, building towards the ultimate 

outcome of using the best available data to analyze wildfire risk across the country and 

help inform management decisions regarding allocation of resources to best address this 

risk. 

The final Phase III, the National Risk Trade-Off Analysis will develop models that will 

better inform decision-makers and allow them to understand the risks and trade-offs 

associated with their wildland fire management decisions.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Annual Performance Report 1-12

Goal 1 – Key Performance Measure Assessment for Invasive Species

Objective 1.4 Reduce adverse impacts from invasive species, pests, and diseases.

Goal 1 - FY 2011 Results Summary and Assessment for Invasive Species 

The Forest Service focuses invasive species program implementation on outcome-based activities 

designed to effectively reduce the impact of invasive species on priority Federal and non-Federal 

lands. Treatments are prioritized based on risk, efficacy and cost. Accomplishment of this 

performance measure is a function of the number of acres monitored for efficacy relative to the 

total number of acres treated. 

In FY 2011, the Forest Service accomplished 95 percent of the target to restore priority acres 

from invasive species on Federal and Cooperative program lands. To address this objective, the 

Forest Service partnered with other Federal agencies to treat native pest species, such as the 

southern pine beetle and western bark beetle, focusing on high priority large-scale watersheds.

Treatments totaled 163,221 acres on Federal lands, and 606, 831 acres on Cooperative lands for a 

ration of just slightly less than 1:4. The Forest Service also continued to protect critical forest 

ecosystems from established non-native insects and diseases, such as Port Orford-cedar root 

disease, white pine blister rust, and hemlock woolly adelgid. Moreover, new non-native invasive 

pest threats were addressed, such as the emerald ash borer, sudden oak death, thousand cankers 

disease, and gold-spotted oak borer.

Implications for FY 2012 and FY 2013 

In FY 2011, the Forest Service worked to address public safety concerns and forest health needs 

arising from the millions of acres of dead and dying trees from bark beetle infestations in the 

West. In FY 2013, the Forest Service will continue to fund management actions to reduce forest 

susceptibility to beetle outbreaks and protect high value trees. 

The Forest Service uses risk maps to select insect and disease project locations for prevention 

work and aerial and ground survey techniques to identify suppression treatments. The recently 

developed Forest Action Plans will help guide Forest Health Management activities, as forest 

health was often identified as a key element requiring attention. Treatment placements 

incorporate local priorities including priority landscapes such as: Wildland Urban Interface areas, 

municipal water supply areas, outdoor recreational sites, and administrative sites. The program 

also funds the use of Early Detection and Rapid Response (EDRR) efforts to find invasive insects 

and diseases early, thereby reducing future costs to address pest outbreaks. 

Baseline

FY2009 

Actual

FY 2010 

Actual

FY 2011 

Target

FY 2011 

Actual

Percent of 

Target 

Achieved

FY 2012 

Target

FY 2013 

Target

1.4.a Percentage of priority acres restored and/or protected from 

invasive species on Federal and Cooperative program lands

NFS 90.0% 81.5% 78.6% 90.0% 75.2% 84% 90.0% 90.0%

S&PF N/A 26.2% 20.0% 20.0% 19.0% 95% 20.0% 20.0%
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Annual Performance Report 1-13

Means and Strategies for Success 

Forest Service invasive species program actions are resulting in greater effectiveness against 

invasive species across the National Forest System and other Federal and cooperative lands. The 

program will continue to implement strategic actions, prioritize treatments, increase integration of 

activities across program areas, and address the full spectrum of aquatic and terrestrial invasive 

species to improve performance. 

Treatment of invasive species will be a critical element as the Forest Service implements 

integrated ecological restoration projects on priority landscapes. Implementation of an all-lands

approach to ecosystem restoration in cooperation with the Natural Resources Conservation 

Service (NRCS), Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), and other partners and 

property owners will help ensure the effectiveness of invasive species treatments across 

ownership and jurisdictional boundaries. 

Goal 1 – Key Performance Measure Assessment for Healthy Watersheds and Diverse Habitats

Objective 1.5 Restore and maintain healthy watersheds and diverse habitats. 1,2

Goal 1 - FY 2011 Results Summary and Assessment for Healthy Watersheds and Diverse 

Habitats

The Forest Service met or exceeded the majority of the terrestrial, stream, lake, and 

reforestation/timber stand improvement targets within this goal. We are moving to a new national 

Watershed Condition Framework and the preliminary assessments were completed in FY 2011. 

The Watershed Condition Framework is a comprehensive approach for:

Evaluating the condition of watersheds

Prioritizing work in areas important to the public and where work results in noticeable 

differences in overall watershed condition

Strategic integrated restoration

Tracking and monitoring outcomes

 

1

The FY 2012 target for “Acres of terrestrial habitat restored”, “Miles of stream habitat restored” and “Acres of lake 

habitat restored” were adjusted from previously published targets in the agency’s Strategic Plan to more 

appropriately reflect accomplishment expectations for FY 2012.

2 Although reforestation and timber stand improvement (TSI) accomplishments have been increasing in recent years, 

the FY 2012 goal for measure 1.5.c has been reduced from 20 percent to 16 percent to reflect an increasing 

emphasis on artificial reforestation and the increased unit costs of artificial reforestation as compared to TSI.

Baseline

FY2009 

Actual

FY 2010 

Actual

FY 2011 

Target

FY 2011 

Actual

Percent of 

Target 

Achieved

FY 2012 

Target

FY 2013 

Target

1.5.a Percentage of watershed in class 1 condition 30% 30% 26% 29% 52% 180% 52% 52%

1.5.b Acres and miles of terrestrial and aquatic habitat restored 

consistent with forest plan direction:

Acres of terrestrial habitat restored 642,000 2,153,749 2,037,110 2,137,300 2,629,476 123% 1,980,000 1,960,000

Miles of stream habitat restored 4,600 3,498 3,577 2,800 3,878 139% 2,670 2,750

Acres of lake habitat restored 18,000 23,570 27,779 26,300 26,832 102% 24,000 24,000

1.5.c Percentage of acres needing reforestation or timber stand 

improvement that were treated

13% 18% 23% 18% 16% 86% 16% 16%
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Annual Performance Report 1-14

In FY 2011, the Forest Service restored 3,878 miles of stream habitat. This accomplishment 

enhanced habitat for native fishes with commercial and non-commercial value, as well as for 

desired non-native species important to recreational fishing. A portion of the restoration removed

invasive species that outbreed or out-competed native fish species, and disrupted aquatic stream 

habitat. Target accomplishments continue to be on an upward trend that reflects integrated 

restoration and partnership contributions.

The fisheries, wildlife, and watershed accomplishments were achieved in large part through 

integration with other agency programs, such as Vegetation Management, Fuels Management, 

and the Road Management Programs. Other targets were accomplished through ongoing and new 

collaborations and partnerships with other agencies and conservation organizations. Integration 

with resource areas such as Vegetation Management, Fuels Management and Engineering also 

played an important role in achieving these targets, and this is expected to continue as the agency 

becomes more skilled at developing projects that benefit multiple resources. As the Forest Service 

becomes more adept at determining a more accurate unified target there will be less variation 

with accomplishments reported.

Implications for FY 2012 and FY 2013 

The Secretary of Agriculture’s vision recognizes the role of healthy forests in enhancing water 

resources and in maintaining landscape resiliency. The IRR program focuses on landscape 

restoration and activities that promote watershed resilience supporting the Secretary’s 

commitment to an all-lands landscape restoration approach. 

In FY 2012 and 2013, the Forest Service will continue with the IRR implementation approach, 

emphasizing collaboration with stakeholders and internal interdisciplinary planning in an effort to 

continuously improve restoration projects and increase community support. In return, the agency 

expects to accomplish more on-the-ground tailoring of projects and initiatives. As the agency 

works to improve the condition of watersheds through an integrated restoration approach, we will 

advance efforts in maintaining and improving water quality and watershed function; improving 

habitat for fish and wildlife; and preserving and creating local jobs.

Means and Strategies for Success 

The IRR landscape scale approach aligns restoration actions through forest management, range 

management, wildlife & fisheries habitat management, vegetation & watershed management, 

non-Wildland Urban Interface (non-WUI) hazardous fuels management, and Legacy Roads and 

Trails. This program also incorporates implementation of the Watershed Condition Framework 

and will, in the future, incorporate the Terrestrial Condition Framework, that will allow for an 

overall integrated Ecosystem Condition Framework. By combining the authority and funding of 

multiple land management programs into one budget line item, we are gaining administrative 

efficiency by reducing accounting codes and streamlining scheduling of multiple resource 

management activities in a single area or season.

This landscape scale approach allows the agency to address many of the resource challenges 

facing National Forest System lands, such as the bark-beetle epidemic, the decline of longleaf 

pine ecosystems, threatened and endangered species management, wild horse and burro 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Annual Performance Report 1-15

management, restoring lands historically used as roads to a natural state, replacement of bridges 

or major culverts to allow aquatic organism passage, and climate variability, while protecting the 

overall resiliency of forests and grasslands.

This Strategic Goal focuses on sustaining the productivity of the Nation’s forests and grasslands 

to meet the needs of present and future generations. The National Forest System provides 

essential goods and services that help meet the American people’s need for wood fiber, protein, 

energy, water and other benefits. The Forest Service manages 193 million acres of NFS lands; 

assists States, Tribes, and private landowners via technical and financial assistance; provides 

international technical assistance; and develops and disseminates science and technology to 

improve the health and use of the Nation’s forests and grasslands. Sustainable management of 

these resources ensures that the availability of goods and services and land productivity is 

maintained for both current and future generations.

Principal Programs to Achieve Goal 2

The largest budgetary investment for providing and sustaining benefits to the American people is 

supported from the National Forest System (NFS). Other programs that contribute to this goal are 

also discussed below. 

The Forest Service actively manages forest vegetation through the NFS IRR program, supports

ecosystem and watershed restoration objectives, and focuses on landscape restoration and 

activities that promote watershed resilience. This landscape scale approach allows the agency to 

address many of the resource challenges facing NFS lands, such as the bark-beetle epidemic, the 

decline of longleaf pine ecosystems, threatened and endangered species management, wild horse 

and burro management, restoring lands historically used as roads to a natural state, replacement of 

bridges or major culverts to allow aquatic organism passage, and climate variability, while 

protecting the overall resiliency of forests and grasslands.

The NFS Grazing Management program also contributes to this goal by managing the diverse 

rangeland resources to maintain a sustainable supply of forage for livestock and wildlife. The 

program seeks to maintain open space and habitat connectivity by linking NFS grazing 

authorizations to privately-owned lands managed for agricultural production, and by helping 

sustain the rural based ranching and farming lifestyle. Managing grazing allotments provides for 

the administration and monitoring of grazing permits and activities. This includes issuance of 

grazing permits, processing permit transfers, preparation and processing of bills for collection, 

and the development of annual operating instructions. Compliance monitoring determines if the 

Forest Service Strategic Goal 2: Provide and Sustain Benefits to the American 

People

Key Outcome: Forests and grasslands with sufficient long-term multiple

socioeconomic benefits to meet the needs of society. 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Annual Performance Report 1-16

terms and conditions of the grazing authorization are being implemented by the grazing 

permittee.

Within NFS, the Minerals & Geology program also supports socio-economic benefits by ensuring

that minerals operations provide adequate protection of surface resources and meet objectives of 

the Energy Policy Act of 2005. 

Renewable energy is a valuable benefit to the American public that the Forest Service provides 

through efforts such as the Woody Biomass Utilization Strategy. Activities include hydropower 

licensing, wind energy development, and geothermal operations on NFS lands.

Knowledge transfer and information sharing also provide benefits to the American public. 

Specifically, the Forest Service R&D provides science, management, and technology services to 

forest and rangeland owners, managers, policy makers, scientists, and the public so they can 

manage and use forest and rangeland resources to improve the standard of living and quality of 

life for current and future generations.

Other programs, such as Landownership Management and the Capital Improvement and 

Maintenance programs, provide necessary infrastructure and management support to enable the 

Forest Service to supply goods and services to the American public, while helping meet critical 

resource needs. 

Goal 2 – Key Performance Measure Assessment

Objective 2.1 Provide a reliable supply of forest products over time that is consistent with 

achieving desired conditions on NFS lands and helps maintain or create processing capacity and 

infrastructure in local communities.

Objective 2.2 Provide a reliable supply of rangeland products over time that is consistent with 

achieving desired conditions on NFS lands and helps support ranching in local communities.

Baseline

FY2009 

Actual

FY 2010 

Actual

FY 2011 

Target

FY 2011 

Actual

Percent 

of Target 

Achieved

FY 2012 

Target

FY 2013 

Target

2.1.a Amount of wood fiber provided each year to help meet the 

Nation's demand for forest products in an environmentally 

sustainable manner CCF 5,400,000 4,829,254 5,020,841 4,800,000 4,845,059 101% 5,232,000 5,600,000

MMBF 2,700 2,415 2,592 2,400 2,533 106% 2,600 2,800

2.1.b Number of green tons and/or volume of woody biomass from 

hazardous fuel reduction and restoration treatments on Federal 

land that are made available through permits, contracts, grants, 

N/A 3,155,936 3,306,138 2,700,000 2,954,842 109% 2,700,000 3,000,000

Baseline

FY2009 

Actual

FY 2010 

Actual

FY 2011 

Target

FY 2011 

Actual

Percent of 

Target 

Achieved

FY 2012 

Target

FY 2013 

Target

2.2.a Acres of national 

forests and grasslands 

under grazing permit 

that are sustainably 

managed for all 

rangeland products

81,560,000 79,097,281 76,153,782 81,560,000 75,387,241 92% 73,819,816 72,283,747
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Annual Performance Report 1-17

Objective 2.3 Help meet energy resource needs.

Objective 2.4 Promote market-based conservation and stewardship of ecosystem services.

Goal 2 - FY 2011 Results Summary and Assessment 

The Forest Service met or exceeded most of the performance targets to provide and sustain 

benefits to the American Public. For example, we met the target to provide wood fiber in an 

environmentally sustainable manner by 101 percent. The target to meet the number of green tons 

and/or volume of woody biomass from hazardous fuel treatments was also met by 109 percent. 

The importance of partnerships is illustrated by our target for to help private forest landowners 

market ecosystem services, which was met by 110 percent.

The importance of partnerships is illustrated by our target for to help private forest landowners 

market ecosystem services, which was met by 110 percent. Reporting includes, the number of 

states where there is some written agreement (MOU, Work Plan, Grant Narrative, Cooperative 

agreement, etc) that includes the State Forestry Agency as a partner and involves technical and/or 

financial assistance from the Forest Service and results in one or more of the:

1) Development, testing, and/or evaluation of tools that quantify ecosystem services and 

their economic value or increase forest landowner participation or access to ecosystem 

service markets

2) Creation of market infrastructure at the state or regional level including 

guidelines/protocols for market operation

3) Implementation of payment systems to forest landowners for environmental services

4) Establishment of organizational structures or programs that enhance ecosystem service 

market development and support

Baseline

FY2009 

Actual

FY 2010 

Actual

FY 2011 

Target

FY 2011 

Actual

Percent of 

Target 

Achieved

FY 2012 

Target

FY 2013 

Target

2.3.a Percentage of land 

Special Use Permit 

applications for energyrelated facilities that 

are completed within 

prescribed timeframes

50% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100%

2.3.b Percentage of energymineral applications 

that are processed 

within prescribed 

timeframes

45% 8 % 5 % 50% 44% 87% 43% 40%

Baseline

FY2009 

Actual

FY 2010 

Actual

FY 2011 

Target

FY 2011 

Actual

Percent of 

Target 

Achieved

FY 2012 

Target

FY 2013 

Target

2.4.a Number of States that 

have agreements with 

the Forest Service to 

help private forest 

landowners market 

ecosystem services

1 1 7 2 0 2 1 2 3 110% 2 1 2 1
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Annual Performance Report 1-18

5) Creation of partnerships that expand knowledge of and potential for ecosystem market 

participation by private forest landowners.

Managing natural resources to maintain long-term benefits to meet the needs of society requires 

the integration of many different program areas. Programs within NFS provide planning, 

coordination, and implementation of activities which foster recreation opportunities for the 

public, energy for the Nation, timber and non-timber forest products, and job creation. 

Implications for FY 2012 and FY 2013

Whereas Stewardship Contracting is generally the best tool to achieve restoration goals, we will 

use all available tools and authorities to achieve restoration objectives, including timber sales and 

hazardous fuels treatments. As part of accelerating our restoration efforts, we will be increasing 

mechanical treatments where required, and raising targets for forest products sold to 2.6 billion 

board feet in FY 2012 and 2.8 bbf in FY 2013. We will also continue to explore and support new 

and emerging markets for wood removed in restoration activities (including use of woody 

biomass for energy), in addition to more traditional markets. 

Means and Strategies for Success 

The Forest Service will provide the public a diverse suite of ecosystem services such as clean 

water, forest and grassland products, energy resources, and other benefits of NFS Lands by using 

traditional and nontraditional land management tools in a holistic, integrated manner. Specific 

actions include:

Continue to shift the emphasis for the production of forest products toward being an 

outcome of meeting vegetation management, habitat management, and ecosystem 

restoration objectives. IRR program funds will be instrumental in implementing the 

projects identified through restoration planning on priority landscapes and other 

landscape scale ecosystem restoration efforts. 

Increase the recognition and acceptance of excess woody biomass as a source of 

bioenergy. This will be critical to successfully expanding opportunities to meet forest and 

habitat health objectives. Educating the public and lawmakers about the feasibility and 

effectiveness of using this available resource generated by forest and ecosystem 

restoration projects while meeting long-term carbon sequestration and other climate 

change mitigation objectives will be essential steps in building this support. We will also 

focus on demonstrating the feasibility of providing a sustainable supply of woody 

biomass to support the development of new technology and infrastructure.

Increase the use of Stewardship Contracting, partnerships, and all other available 

authorities to accomplish integrated conservation, restoration and maintenance work 

across all land ownerships. The Forest Service will aggressively seek new partnerships 

with States, the business sector, nongovernment organizations, and others to help plan, 

implement, finance and monitor critical landscape conservation and restoration work.

Strengthen environmental awareness, understanding, and support among stakeholders for 

active, integrated management of forests and grasslands to provide ecosystem goods and 

services. 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Annual Performance Report 1-19

Develop, execute, acquire, and deploy science and technology so that science-based 

tools, systems, and applications are used to sustainably manage, restore, enhance, and use 

the forests and grasslands to meet the needs of communities, regions, States, and the 

Nation as a whole. Research and development products will be provided and used to

benefit the owners and managers of working forests and farms by helping them to 

practice sustainable forest management and utilization while producing the goods and 

services society requires. 

Focus on areas with energy resource potential in an effort to meet energy resource needs.

Undeveloped forests and grasslands, including working farms, ranches, and timber lands, help 

protect water quality, conserve native wildlife, and provide renewable timber and non-timber 

products, recreation opportunities, and scenic beauty. Conservation of these open spaces is 

essential to maintain the multitude of public benefits, ecosystem services, and products we all 

need and enjoy. Cooperation across boundaries, including Federal, State, private, and tribal lands, 

is essential to address large-scale conservation issues such as conservation of water resources and 

drinking water supply, reduction of wildfire risk, and protection of at-risk species while providing 

for jobs creation.

Under this goal, the Forest Service works with States and private landowners and Tribes to 

conserve environmentally important forests, ensuring their value and use for current and future 

generations. We also provide cutting edge technology to identify critical private forest landscape 

areas where conservation threats and opportunities converge. The Forest Service and State 

Foresters are working to target planning and technical assistance where it will maximize 

ecosystem service returns for both the public and individual landowners. 

Land acquisition and exchange programs conserve the integrity of undeveloped lands and prevent 

their conversion to incompatible uses. The Forest Service acquires lands, waters, and related 

interests through purchase, donation, or exchange within the National Forest System for such 

purposes as outdoor recreation, wildlife habitat conservation, water quality, invasive species 

control, fire suppression, watershed protection and enhancement, and resource management. 

The Forest Service’s grazing-permit program helps assure the long term maintenance of open 

space and habitat connectivity provided by private ranch lands by linking national forest and 

grassland grazing authorizations to these privately-owned lands.

Forest Service Strategic Goal 3: Conserve Open Space

Key Outcome: Maintain the environmental, social, and economic benefits of 

forests and grasslands by reducing and mitigating their conversion to other uses. 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Annual Performance Report 1-20

Principal Programs to Achieve Goal 3

The largest budgetary investment for reducing and mitigating forest and grassland conversion to 

other uses is supported from S&PF. Other programs that contribute to this goal are also discussed 

below. 

S&PF’s Forest Stewardship program works to maintain the benefits of forests and grasslands by 

partnering with State agencies and other entities to sustain and improve our Nation’s private 

forest landscapes. A primary focus of the program is the development of comprehensive, multiresource management plans that provide landowners – at a landscape scale - with the information 

they need to manage their forests for a variety of products and services. The program 

accomplishes that goal by delivering assistance through a national network of forestry technical 

assistance providers and programs. Because of this unique role – and since the majority of 

America’s forests are privately owned – the Forest Stewardship program is central to fulfilling the 

Secretary’s vision for managing for healthy forests across all-lands. 

The Forest Legacy Program (FLP), administered by S&PF in cooperation with State partners,

protects environmentally important forest areas that are threatened by conversion to development 

and other non-forest uses. Land trusts and other conservation organizations play a critical role in 

identifying and completing projects. Forest Legacy program projects are selected through a twostep nationally competitive process, and focus on the conservation of working forests – those that 

provide forest products, water, fish and wildlife habitat, and recreational opportunities. 

The Land Acquisition program funds the acquisition and donation of lands, waters, and related 

interests within the NFS to enhance opportunities for outdoor recreation and public access, to 

conserve habitat for wildlife including threatened and endangered species, and to protect water 

quality and quantity. The primary goal of land acquisition is to consolidate fragmented lands 

within NFS borders and specially designated areas, in order to support effective land management 

and improve stewardship functions like habitat restoration, fuels reduction, public access, costs 

associated with boundary line management and trespass encroachments.

The Community Forest and Open Space Conservation Program (CFP) complements the FLP and 

the Urban and Community Forestry Program (U&CF), but is not duplicative of either program. 

CFP and FLP each engage unique partners and utilize different tools for land protection. CFP is 

focused on creating community forests through land acquisition and FLP protects at-risk forests 

through easements and land purchase.

Within the Forest Service R&D, the Forest Inventory and Analysis program tracks a nationwide 

system of forest inventory plots in a statistically sound lands inventory matrix. This data provides 

detailed information on stand characteristics and complements the more broad-based Natural 

Resource Inventory carried out on non-Federal lands by NRCS.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Annual Performance Report 1-21

Goal 3 – Key Performance Measure Assessment for Conserve Open Space

Objective 3.1 Protect forests and grasslands from conversion to other uses.3

Objective 3.2 Help private landowners and communities maintain and manage their land as

sustainable forests and grasslands. 4

Goal 3 - FY 2011 Results Summary and Assessment 

In FY 2011, nationwide, more than 21 million acres of non-industrial private forest lands were 

managed according to current, active Forest Stewardship Plans, with over 1.5 million acres being 

added in FY 2011. The actual number of acres managed under Forest Stewardship Plans was 

lower than targeted as State agencies continue to make adjustments to move resources and adapt 

programs to target newly established landscape focus areas. These adaptations take time and 

initially resources are drawn away from landowner management plan development. With time,

State partners are expected to further focus technical assistance efforts to impact their highest 

priority landscape areas. Program delivery is thus expected to increase significantly in these 

areas. Forest Stewardship plans lay out strategies for achieving unique landowner objectives and 

sustaining forest health and vigor. Actively managed forests provide timber, wildlife habitat, 

watershed protection, recreational opportunities and many other benefits for landowners and 

communities. 

Through the FLP, 149,911 acres of environmentally important forests and grasslands were 

protected from conversion, achieving 127 percent of the planned accomplishment. Over 50

percent (over 420 million acres) of our Nation’s forests are privately owned. Family forest 

owners and timber companies are facing increasing pressure to sell, subdivide, and develop their 

land. The FLP works with States, private landowners, and other conservation partners to protect 

environmentally critical forests threatened by land conversion through conservation easements 

and fee-simple purchases.

 

3 Measure 3.1.a is reported annually. Annual numbers represent reported accomplishments at the end of the fiscal 

year. Cumulative numbers represent accomplishments through the end of the fiscal year plus adjustments made for 

late-arriving data from the States, which may result in a mathematical difference between the two representations.

4

Includes acres managed under current forest stewardship management plans only.

Baseline

FY2009 

Actual

FY 2010 

Actual

FY 2011 

Target

FY 2011 

Actual

Percent of 

Target 

Achieved

FY 2012 

Target

FY 2013 

Target

3.1.a. Acres of environmentally important forests and grasslands 

protected from conversion (number of acres added annually)

Annual 0 176,471 136,960 118,000 149,911 127% 119,000 150,000

Cumulative 1,360,000 1,897,809 2,056,107 2,174,107 2,210,563 102% 2,329,278 2,479,278

Baseline

FY2009 

Actual

FY 2010 

Actual

FY 2011 

Target

FY 2011 

Actual

Percent of 

Target 

Achieved

FY 2012 

Target

FY 2013 

Target

3.2.a. Acres of nonindustrial private forest land that are being 

managed sustainably under forest stewardship management 

plans. 

Annual 1,760,000 2,076,447 1,805,353 2,250,000 1,531,858 68% 1,750,000 1,500,000

Cumulative 15,133,689 18,582,449 19,592,387 23,500,000 21,124,245 90% 22,500,000 22,000,000
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Annual Performance Report 1-22

Implications for FY 2012 and FY 2013 

The Forest Service will continue to work with the National Association of State Foresters, NRCS, 

the American Forest Foundation, and other partners to coordinate and streamline technical 

planning assistance delivery to make the most effective use of available program resources and 

better address diverse landowner needs. This includes the further adoption of a national Forest 

Stewardship Plan template that satisfies the requirements of all major private forest landowner 

assistance and incentive programs. 

The Forest Service remains focused on acquiring the highest priority lands that serve both the 

President’s America’s Great Outdoors (AGO) Initiative and the Department’s Strategic Plan for 

FY 2010-2015. We also expect to meet targets for forest stewardship management plans as States 

continue to focus efforts in high priority areas.

Means and Strategies for Success 

The Conserve Open Space goal requires integration and coordination among multiple programs to 

fully meet the goal and objectives. Internal dependencies include woody biomass utilization and 

renewable energy, rangeland management, recreation, urban and community forestry, land 

management planning, and cooperative fire programs. This area also relies on contributions from 

partners and participation by State agencies, willing landowners and willing communities. 

Opportunities for new markets, such as carbon sequestration payments, forest certification, and 

woody biomass, will likely provide additional opportunities for private landowners to maintain 

their lands as open space. Specific means and strategies for success include:

Focus assistance in priority landscape areas that have been identified in Forest Action 

Plans. 

Permanently protect priority lands identified through Forest Action Plans that provide 

landscape scale benefits and ecosystem services in the form of timber products, water 

quality protection, wildlife habitat, recreation, and carbon sequestration.

Develop collaborative strategies with landowners, State, and local governments, other 

Federal agencies, tribes, and private sector organizations to address natural resource 

health, water resource improvements, hazardous fuels reduction, land protection and 

restoration, climate preparedness, and community capacity in natural resource work.

Provide financial, technical, and planning assistance to communities, farmers, ranchers, 

and forest landowners to conserve, restore, and protect wetlands and other natural 

resources; help maintain and sustainably manage forest lands; reduce emissions and 

sequester carbon; and provide beneficial water quality and improve water management.

Develop tools and material to quantify the value of ecosystem services, monitor and 

address conservation practice effectiveness, and connect and equip farmers, ranchers, and 

forest landowners with current market information and opportunities so they can earn 

revenue from the ecosystem benefits of their lands.

Through the Community Forests and Open Space program, help communities purchase 

forestland to create community owned forests for several public benefits – including 

outdoor recreation, drinking water protection, and forest stewardship education. 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Annual Performance Report 1-23

The Forest Service is challenged with sustaining adequate high-quality outdoor recreational 

experiences to meet the Nation’s needs while maintaining the ecological integrity of national 

forests and grasslands. Between FY 2006 and FY 2009 we experienced an average of 170.8

million visits on national forests. America’s population is projected to increase by nearly 50 

percent by the middle of this century. Increasing population demands and declining public access 

to privately-owned forestland place extensive pressure on public lands to provide recreational 

opportunities.

The Forest Service explores and implements scientifically verified management solutions in order 

to support recreation needs without incurring adverse resource impacts. Agency research provides 

new technologies, methods, and models to address current problems. Researchers also examine 

anticipated future recreation management problems, opportunities, and needs, and apply social 

science research to analyze the changing public perceptions of the value and importance of 

outdoor recreation opportunities. With an understanding of public opinion and need, the Forest 

Service can best inform and develop policies and decisions on national forest and grasslands.

Preserving high-quality recreation opportunities requires maintaining lands, recreation facilities, 

roads, and trails. This infrastructure enables the Forest Service to provide opportunities to interact 

with wildlife, explore wilderness and heritage resources, engage in educational activities, and 

access off-highway vehicle trails. Partners contribute significant resources supporting tourism, 

interpretive services, recreation special uses, congressionally designated areas, and national forest 

scenic by-ways.

Principal Programs to Achieve Goal 4

The principal programs for accomplishing the desired outcome of Goal 4 are the Recreation, 

Heritage, and Wilderness programs, Capital Improvement and Maintenance Roads and Trails 

programs, and NFS – IRR program – Legacy Roads and Trails activity. Research and 

Development produces recreation science and management tools to inform recreation managers 

on outdoor recreation trends and desires, as well as tools to improve management efficiency.

The latest data on visitor trends shows that in FY 2010, the national forests and grasslands hosted 

approximately 174 million visits, with increasingly diverse visitors engaging in activities such as 

camping, picnicking, skiing, snowboarding, hunting, fishing, hiking, driving for pleasure, and 

visiting cultural sites and visitor centers. These recreation opportunities produce significant social 

and economic benefits for the Nation. Population growth and increasing limited public access to 

privately-owned land contribute to high demand for quality recreation on NFS lands.

Forest Service Strategic Goal 4: Sustain and Enhance Outdoor Recreation 

Opportunities 

Key Outcome: A variety of high-quality outdoor recreational opportunities on 

the Nation’s forests and grasslands are available to the public. 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Annual Performance Report 1-24

Goal 4 – Key Performance Measure Assessment

Objective 4.1 Improve the quality and availability of outdoor recreation experiences. 

Objective 4.2 Secure legal entry to national forest lands and waters.

Objective 4.3 Improve the management of off-highway vehicle use.

Baseline

FY2009 

Actual

FY 2010 

Actual

FY 2011 

Target

FY 2011 

Actual

Percent of 

Target 

Achieved

FY 2012 

Target

FY 2013 

Target

4.1.a Percentage of 

recreation sites 

maintained to standard

65% 67% 68% 66% 71% 108% 70% 70%

4.1.b Percentage of total 

recreation capacity at 

developed recreation 

sites that meets 

accessibility standards

10% 23% 19% 27% 23% 86% 25% 25%

4.1.c Percentage of trails 

that meet national 

quality standards

60% 26% 41% 40% 25% 62% 30% 30%

4.1.d Percentage of 

customers who are 

satisfied with 

recreational facilities, 

services, and settings

80% 91% 94% 90% 94% 104% 90% 85%

4.1.e Percentage of road 

system intended for 

passenger car use that is 

suitable for passenger 

car use

29% 89% 90% 89% 90% 101% 90% 88%

Baseline

FY2009 

Actual

FY 2010 

Actual

FY 2011 

Target

FY 2011 

Actual

Percent of 

Target 

Achieved

FY 2012 

Target

FY 2013 

Target

4.2.a Percentage of high 

priority access rights-ofway acquired

90% 74% 106% 85% 15% 18% 85% 85%

Baseline

FY2009 

Actual

FY 2010 

Actual

FY 2011 

Target

FY 2011 

Actual

Percent of 

Target 

Achieved

FY 2012 

Target

FY 2013 

Target

4.3.a Percentage of NFS 

lands covered by new 

motor vehicle use maps 

reflecting a designateduse system of roads, 

trails, and areas

0.0% 43.7% 66.7% 100.0% 76.8% 77% 100.0% 100.0%
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Annual Performance Report 1-25

Goal 4 - FY 2011 Results Summary and Assessment 

In FY 2011, the agency maintained priority recreation sites to standard, accomplishing this target 

by 108 percent. This greater than anticipated gain towards the 10-Year Wilderness Stewardship 

Challenge is attributable to additional national funding provided to support forest grants and 

regional strike teams, as well as supplemental assistance to the National Forest Foundation's 

Wilderness Stewardship Grants program. The most notable gains were accomplished in the 

Rocky Mountain, Southern and Eastern Regions. The Recreation, Heritage and Wilderness 

program continued to manage and administer nearly 20,000 recreation sites, over 27,900 

recreation special use authorizations, 25 major visitor centers, 20 National Historic Landmarks, 

over 322,700 heritage assets, 136 national scenic byways, 439 designated wildernesses, and 122 

wild and scenic rivers.

Implications for FY 2012 and FY 2013 

In support of the President’s AGO Initiative, the Forest Service will expand recreation 

opportunities for youth and diverse populations, support job creation through youth conservation 

corps, and expand opportunities for private sector outfitters and guides, ski areas and resorts that 

operate on the NFS. We will also improve recreational access, a major goal of AGO, and 

complete region-wide outfitting needs assessments and resort master plans.

We will emphasize continued achievement of the recreation objectives in FY 2012 and FY 2013

by:

Creating new and strengthening existing partnerships

Focusing resources on mission-driven priorities

Connecting recreation benefits to communities

Providing for changing urban populations

Sustaining and expanding quality recreation opportunities

Where possible, the Forest Service will capitalize on additional resources through partnerships 

and other authorities that are directed towards reducing deferred maintenance to meet its 

objectives under this goal.

Means and Strategies for Success 

Specific means and strategies for success include:

Providing a diverse range of quality cultural and natural resource based recreation 

opportunities in partnership with people and communities. 

Protecting the natural, cultural and scenic resources for present and future generations to 

enjoy. 

Partnering with public and private recreation and heritage service providers to meet 

public needs. 

Implementing agency-wide systems to ensure effective decisions, community 

engagement, investments in sound business practices, and enhance the professionalism of 

our workforce. 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Annual Performance Report 1-26

Ensuring the road system needed to meet agency needs is sustainable with available 

resources and is in compliance with environmental and safety requirements. 

Natural resources are affected by a wide range of forces, including natural events, overuse, and 

various management and law enforcement activities. The Forest Service maintains a workforce 

with the skills and capabilities to deal with the impacts of these events and assist other countries 

in managing their natural resources. Effectively managing its natural resources and ensuring the 

safety of the land and its users requires quality data, strategic unit plans, law enforcement 

officials, and facility maintenance.

Land management plans, required of each unit in the NFS, facilitate the implementation of 

governing laws and regulations. Collaboration with the public ensures that Forest Service units 

continually address changing conditions and public needs. Inventory and monitoring activities 

provide verifiable data and spatial resource information to support land management planning, 

assessments, and other program management needs. International Forestry maintains expertise to 

promote sustainable forestry management and address climate change issues globally. The Forest 

Service also maintains and manages dams, fire and administrative facilities, and supporting 

infrastructure critical to achieving resource management goals and objectives.

Principal Programs to Achieve Goal 5

Many Forest Service programs contribute to achieving the outcome of Goal 5. Some of the 

programs include Land Management Planning, Law Enforcement, Inventory and Monitoring, 

Capital Improvement and Maintenance–Facilities, and International Programs.

Goal 5 – Key Performance Measure Assessment

Objective 5.1 Improve accountability through effective strategic and land management 

planning and efficient use of data and technology in resource management.

Baseline

FY2009 

Actual

FY 2010 

Actual

FY 2011 

Target

FY 2011 

Actual

Percent of 

Target 

Achieved

FY 2012 

Target

FY 2013 

Target

5.1.a Percentage of selected 

data in information 

systems that is current 

to standard

44% 54% 77% 78% 77% 99% 80% 80%

Forest Service Strategic Goal 5: Maintain Basic Management Capabilities of 

the Forest Service 

Key Outcome: Administrative facilities, information systems, and 

landownership management with the capacity to support a wide range of 

natural resource challenges. 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Annual Performance Report 1-27

Objective 5.2 Improve the administration of national forest lands and facilities in support of 

the agency’s mission. 5,6

Goal 5 - FY 2011 Results Summary and Assessment

The Facilities program administers facilities and sites used for recreation, research, and fire, 

administrative and other (FA&O) purposes. FA&O facilities include fire facilities, such as 

airtanker bases, lookouts, airports, heliports, and fire management centers; administrative 

facilities, such as administrative offices (ranger district offices, forest supervisor offices, regional 

offices, research stations and laboratories), and service and storage buildings; and other facilities, 

such as telecommunication facilities, towers, dams, and recreation visitor centers. This program 

includes carrying out maintenance, capital improvement, and management on 17,900 recreation 

sites and approximately 23,100 research, recreation, and other administrative buildings. The 

condition of administrative facilities ranges from poor to good, with approximately 35 percent 

needing major repairs or renovation, approximately 14 percent in fair condition; and 51 percent of 

the facilities in good condition. 

In FY 2011, the agency accomplished 96 percent of the target to maintain FA&O facilities to 

standard. During this time, maintenance activities were focused on the most critical health and 

safety needs and higher cost maintenance needs. The agency focused work on those facilities 

where employees are housed and facilities that provide for interactions with the public. As 

infrastructure ages, deferred maintenance continues to accrue more quickly, resulting in more 

facilities that were not maintained to standard.

Implications for FY 2012 and FY 2013 

The Forest Service will continue to assess the quantity and quality of data in its corporate 

applications. Future efforts will focus on examining data holdings in specific applications in 

addition to GIS data layers. As more data sets are included in the evaluation, the positive trend in 

results may change, although probably only temporarily. We aim to develop the capability to 

conduct these assessments and use the results to become more efficient in acquiring only the data 

 

5

The FY 2012 target for measure 5.2.a has been reduced to 60 percent from the 75 percent previously published in the 

Strategic Plan. Flat budgets combined with inflation and increases in construction costs over the past five years, 

have made it difficult to increase accomplishments.

6Efforts are underway to develop a new performance measure and associated targets for measure 5.2.b. Additional 

detail is available in the corrective action plans section of this chapter. 

Baseline

FY2009 

Actual

FY 2010 

Actual

FY 2011 

Target

FY 2011 

Actual

Percent of 

Target 

Achieved

FY 2012 

Target

FY 2013 

Target

5.2.a Percentage of 

administrative facilties 

that are being 

maintained to standard

64% 66% 64% 65% 63% 96% 60% 63%

5.2.b Percentage of newly 

reported 

encroachments and 

title claims 

administered to 

standard

60% 5 % 34% 20% N/A 0 % N/A N/A
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Annual Performance Report 1-28

that is essential for meeting agency business requirements and reducing the costs for managing 

data that is no longer needed. 

The Forest Service will use existing authorities and will request new authorities or extensions as 

appropriate to reduce the inventory of unneeded buildings. This will result in more efficient use 

of available funds to maintain the remaining facility portfolio at appropriate standards. Agency 

goals will be met when unneeded buildings are removed or conveyed and necessary buildings are 

sustainable within available budgets, in compliance with appropriate building codes, and located 

on sites that provide the needed Forest Service presence for the public.

Means and Strategies for Success 

Actions to be taken to address performance are as follows:

Coordinate inventory, monitoring and assessment activities through the development and 

implementation of an integrated program planning process that addresses essential 

information needs related to agency business requirements. 

Implement a standards-based approach and framework for information management, a 

national protocol governance strategy, and an Information Resources (IR) Governance 

Solution to ensure that all agency-wide decisions on information technology and 

information are transparent, coordinated, cost-effective, and integrated with the mission 

of the agency.

Foster and realize opportunities for collaboration, cooperation, and coordination across 

Forest Service programs and with partners, including the public; local, State and other 

Federal agencies; Indian tribes; and non-governmental organizations. 

Focus resources towards right-sizing the portfolio of administrative infrastructure. 

Implement local facility master plans which identify the infrastructure necessary to 

support the mission. 

Maintain mission-critical facilities (as defined in the USDA Asset Management Plan) and 

other priority assets to the highest standard. 

Identify and resolve land and infrastructure jurisdictional issues to ensure administrative 

and public access to NFS lands.

The Forest Service promotes understanding and professional management of the Nation’s forests, 

including its urban forests. The NFS, S&PF, and Forest Service R&D all contribute to an 

integrated approach for natural resources stewardship to better connect urban residents to the 

value of well-managed public and private forests and to improve quality of life. 

Forest Service Strategic Goal 6: Engage Urban America with Forest Service 

Programs 

Key Outcome: Broader access by Americans to the long-term environmental, 

social, economic, and other types of benefits provided by the Forest Service. 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Annual Performance Report 1-29

One of the goals of the AGO Initiative is to empower citizens, community groups, and local 

governments to share the responsibility for protecting natural areas and leaving a healthy, vibrant 

outdoor legacy for generations yet to come. The Forest Service uses its institutional capacity, 

expertise and extensive partnerships to engage and benefit urban America by:

Providing all Americans broader access to the benefits trees and forests provide, such as: 

clean air, clean and abundant water, reduced energy costs, reduced green house gas 

emissions, recreation, improved human health, and jobs; 

Providing conservation education and meaningful outdoor experiences; 

Developing future natural resource leaders and providing outdoor recreational 

opportunities; and 

Providing urban residents increased opportunities to participate in natural resources 

stewardship and management—including green jobs—and enhancing sustainable 

management of urban natural resources for the benefit and well-being of all.

Principal Programs to Achieve Goal 6

Many Forest Service programs contribute toward achieving the outcome of Goal 6, including 

Urban and Community Forestry (U&CF), Conservation Education, Recreation and Heritage and 

Wilderness, Forest Service R&D, IRR, and others. 

Goal 6 – Key Performance Measure Assessment

Objective 6.1 Promote conservation education to increase environmental literacy through 

partnerships with groups that benefit and educate urban populations.

Baseline

FY2009 

Actual

FY 2010 

Actual

FY 2011 

Target

FY 2011 

Actual

Percent of 

Target 

Achieved

FY 2012 

Target

FY 2013 

Target

6.1.a Number of people who 

annually participate in 

Forest Service 

environmental literacy 

programs and activities

2,500,000 4,195,964 5,244,401 4,000,000 5,183,467 130% 4,200,000 4,200,000
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Annual Performance Report 1-30

Objective 6.2 Improve the management of urban and community forests to provide a wide 

range of public benefits.

Goal 6 - FY 2011 Results Summary and Assessment 

In FY 2011, U&CF achieved 100 percent of the planned accomplishment by providing assistance 

to 7,172 communities, reaching a total of 194 million people. The population served by the 

program in FY 2011 represented over 77 percent of the people living in communities with the 

potential to develop programs to plant, protect, and manage their urban and community trees and 

forests. U&CF continued to work with State Forestry agencies and other partners to assist 

communities in developing and advancing their urban forestry programs. 

In FY 2011 the Forest Service achieved significant accomplishments in the number of people 

who annually participate in Forest Service environmental literacy program and activities, 

reaching more than 5.1 million people – 130 percent of the planned accomplishment. The Forest 

Service’s Conservation Education program provided educational, technical, and financial 

assistance to field units and partners for the implementation of national priorities to connect 

children to nature and build our future through conservation education. Efforts are crucial to the 

health and welfare of America’s children. Today’s more urbanized youth spend 50 percent less 

time outdoors than 20 years ago, and almost 20 percent are obese. Children who play outdoors in 

nature have: lower stress levels, more active imaginations, are more fit and lean, develop stronger 

immune systems, have greater respect for themselves and others. Children who spend time 

outdoors are more likely to become environmentally conscious adults. By engaging children in 

outdoor activities, America is nurturing tomorrow’s environmental stewards.

Implications for FY 2012 and FY 2013 

There are 100 million acres of urban forest lands in the U.S. Active management of these assets 

secures the greatest economic, social, and environmental benefits from these resources. U&CF 

will continue to deliver technical, financial, educational, and research assistance to communities 

in all 50 States, the District of Columbia, and eight U.S. territories and affiliated Pacific island 

nations. Assistance will continue to be delivered to communities primarily through State forestry 

agencies. 

With 83 percent of the Nation's population in urban areas, there are strong environmental, social, 

and economic cases to be made for the conservation of green spaces to guide growth and 

revitalize city centers and older suburbs. U&CF will continue to respond to these needs by 

maintaining, restoring, and improving urban forest ecosystems. 

Baseline

FY2009 

Actual

FY 2010 

Actual

FY 2011 

Target

FY 2011 

Actual

Percent of 

Target 

Achieved

FY 2012 

Target

FY 2013 

Target

6.2.a Number of 

communities with 

developing or 

established urban and 

community forestry 

programs resulting 

from Forest Service 

assistance

6,564 6,853 7,102 7,200 7,172 100% 7,200 7,200
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Annual Performance Report 1-31

Means and Strategies for Success 

In order to achieve its goals for FY 2012 and FY 2013, the Forest Service will:

Assist communities in increasing professional urban forestry staffing, ordinances, 

management plans, and local advisory and advocacy groups for managing forest 

resources in cities, suburbs, and towns.

Assist communities in strategic tree planting and active management of the urban forest 

through program partners to:

o Increase carbon sequestration; 

o Reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions from power plants; 

o Reduce the forest's susceptibility to pests; 

o Improve the forest's ability to contribute to water quality and quantity needs; and 

o Generate biofuels from urban wood waste products to off-set fossil fuel usage. 

Utilize State Forest Action Plans to inform Conservation Education planning activities 

and to focus needs and recognize emerging opportunities in the U&CF program.

Expand recreational opportunities and access for diverse, underserved, and increasingly 

urban audiences on National Forests and Grasslands and on State, private, and municipal 

lands as part of the AGO Initiative. 

Develop and implement methods to measure environmental literacy and techniques to 

engage urban residents in the management of urban forests. 

Integrate, coordinate, and disseminate existing and new ecological and social research on 

urban issues.

Develop partnerships with nontraditional partners to engage urban and underserved 

audiences.

Facilitate the transfer of information, tools and technology to resource managers at the 

national, regional, State, and local level to ensure that urban trees and forests are 

strategically planned and managed to maximize the social, economic, and environmental 

services that they provide. 

Enhance partnerships with organizations at the national and local level. These will 

continue to play a key role in enhancing the agency’s investment in environmental 

literacy programs and activities and ensure they meet local community needs. 

Continue implementation, in partnership with The Ad Council, of the Discover the 

Forests campaign to reconnect children with nature.

The Forest Service provides science and technology solutions for clients and partners to 

sustainably manage forests and grasslands. Science-based applications and tools inform policy 

and resource management decisions to help achieve desired outcomes. To accomplish this goal, 

Forest Service Strategic Goal 7: Provide Science-Based Applications and Tools 

for Sustainable Natural Resources Management 

Key Outcome: Management decisions are informed by the best available 

science-based knowledge and tools. 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Annual Performance Report 1-32

Forest Service R&D and Technology and Development (T&D) Centers will focus on 

organizational effectiveness as applied to natural resources management by public and private 

organizations. This includes applications of social sciences; organizational behavior; decision 

science and implementing effective fire management; response to global climate change; 

inventory and monitoring activities; landscape alteration; watershed management; energy 

demand; technology management; and policy analysis.

Important components of this work include developing and testing innovative methods of 

synthesizing available science; transforming science and technology into usable technologies and 

tools; and creating and disseminating science applications to users. Partnerships with educational 

institutions and others are critical to program success and effectiveness.

Principal Programs to Achieve Goal 7

The principal program that contributes toward achieving the outcome of Goal 7 is the Forest 

Service R&D. Forest Service R&D provides science, technology, and applications in support of 

sound policies and management decision making. It also develops and conducts high quality 

research that is responsive to current and future resource priorities while providing effective 

applications and tools. The Inventory and Monitoring strategic program area provides the 

resource data and tools needed to identify trends and management options related to fire, insects, 

disease, and other natural processes.

With decades of groundbreaking scientific research, the Forest Service is well positioned to 

achieve significant results from an investment in emerging research areas (ERAs). The ERAs rest 

on a science foundation structured around Forest Service R&D’s Strategic Program Areas that 

reflect the scope of Forest Service research capabilities. They include climate change, biomass 

and biomass energy, urban natural resource stewardship, nanotechnology, and water management 

and restoration. The ERAs set priorities for the next three to five years. Forest Service R&D will 

continue to build upon our core programs while focusing on these emerging research areas. 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Annual Performance Report 1-33

Goal 7 – Key Performance Measure Assessment

Objective 7.1 Increase the use of applications and tools developed by Forest Service Research 

& Development and Technology & Development Centers. 7

Goal 7 - FY 2011 Results Summary and Assessment

Customer satisfaction remained strong in FY 2011 due to an increased focus on science 

applications and mechanisms for delivering research results and deploying tools and products of 

that research. In 2011, Forest Service R&D developed and delivered 163 tools used by customers. 

Cheatgrass is an example of one of the types of tools developed. This invasive plant affects

rangelands across the Intermountain West. Even after the successful removal of germinated seeds 

and established plants, un-germinated seeds in the soil can carry over across years and hamper the 

establishment of desired native plants. Forest Service R&D scientists have identified a promising 

biocontrol organism that can kill dormant cheatgrass seeds and sometimes a high proportion of 

germinable seeds. This pathogen has been dubbed ―Black Fingers of Death‖ because of the 

fingerlike, black fruiting bodies that protrude from killed seeds.

The agency also substantially exceeded its target for patent applications. USDA patent policy is 

set by Agricultural Research Service, the lead USDA agency for patenting and licensing. The 

Forest Service follows ARS guidelines when reporting fiscal year totals. Initially, provisional 

patent applications were not to be counted in FY 2011 totals; however that guidance was later 

revised to include provisionals in FY 2011 counts. In addition, more Invention Disclosures were 

received in FY 2011 (31) than in FY 2010 (18), resulting in the Forest Service Patent Review 

Committee deciding to file more patent applications on the reviewed inventions. Also, university 

and industrial cooperators working with Forest Service scientists developed more new 

technologies and chose to file more patent applications on jointly owned technologies than in FY

2010. 

 

7

The American Customer Satisfaction Index (ASCI) assesses the satisfaction of private and other external 

customers with the relevance, usefulness, and accessibility of Research and Development products and 

services.

Baseline

FY2009 

Actual

FY 2010 

Actual

FY 2011 

Target

FY 2011 

Actual

Percent of 

Target 

Achieved

FY 2012 

Target

FY 2013 

Target

7.1.a Customer satisfaction 

with R&D products and 

services (ACSI score)

7 2 7 5 7 5 7 5 7 5 100% 7 5 7 5

7.1.b Number of patent 

applications filed, based 

on station and center 

discoveries, 

developments, and 

applications

1 0 6 6 6 1 3 217% 8 6
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Annual Performance Report 1-34

Implications for FY 2012 and FY 2013 

Forest Service R&D partners include Federal and State agencies, universities, industry, 

nongovernmental organizations, tribal groups, and foreign government research cooperators. One 

of the most important functions of Forest Service R&D is the distribution of information to forest 

managers and users implementing land management projects. The agency provides valuable 

technology transfer to our research partners, land management practitioners, State agencies, urban 

planners, private forest owners, private organizations, horticultural organizations, agricultural 

interests, as well as forest practitioners internal to the Forest Service. Seeking and forging 

strategic partnerships will remain a critical activity of Forest Service R&D.

Means and Strategies for Success 

In order to achieve the goals for FY 2012 and FY 2013, the Forest Service will:

Develop new technologies that address the emerging research areas.

Develop and deploy cost-effective methods for inventory and monitoring activities. 

Provide information and science-based tools that are used by managers and policymakers. 

Implement effective processes for engaging users in all phases of Forest Service R&D 

study development.

Develop and deploy analysis and decision-support systems. 

Develop tools for evaluating the efficiency and effectiveness of alternative management 

practices. 

Develop and deploy more effective methods for transferring scientific information, 

technologies, and applications to public and private sectors.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Annual Performance Report 1-35

Corrective Action Plans for Measures with FY 2011 Variance from Targets for Strategic 

Objectives

Strategic 

Objective

FY 2011 

Measure Target Actual % of Target Planned Corrective Actions

1.1a

Number and 

percentage of 

acres treated to 

restore fireadapted 

ecosystems 

moved toward 

desired 

conditions.

960,000

40%

787,478

35% 82%

The accomplishments for this 

measure are trending upward, 

however the planned target was 

not reached. The agency will 

continue its emphasis on treating 

hazardous fuels on more strategic 

acres in the WUI which are often 

more costly. This shift means that 

fewer acres overall will be 

treated, meaning fewer will 

change condition class. Critical 

emphasis to continue agency 

efforts on this objective will be 

maintained in FY 2012 and FY

2013. The emphasis on integrated 

restoration and the strategic and 

risk-informed management and 

use of wildland fire are likely to 

contribute improved outcomes in 

this objective in the future.

1.1a

Number and 

percentage of 

acres treated to 

restore fireadapted 

ecosystems 

maintained in 

desired 

conditions.

1,200,000

50%

1,028,611

45%

86%

90%

Numerous entries are often 

required to maintain an area in 

desired condition. Critical 

emphasis to continue agency 

efforts on this objective will be 

maintained in FY 2012 and FY

2013. The emphasis on integrated 

restoration and the strategic and 

risk-informed management and 

use of wildland fire are likely to 

contribute improved outcomes in 

this objective in the future. 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Annual Performance Report 1-36

Strategic 

Objective

FY 2011 

Measure Target Actual % of Target Planned Corrective Actions

1.1b

Number of 

acres brought 

into 

stewardship 

contracts

250,000 100,577 40%

Stewardship acres awarded grew 

from 88,304 acres in 2009, 

peaking in 2010 at 152,834 acres 

due to the ARRA projects, but 

still showing an upward trajectory 

in 2011 of 100,577 acres 

awarded. We anticipate further 

growth in FY 2012 and beyond as 

CFLR and Priority Watershed 

restoration projects begin 

awarding contracts. These ―place 

based‖ initiatives have 

collaborative roots emphasizing 

use of stewardship instruments.

In addition, dozens of CFLR 

proposals, from across the 

country, that had not been 

referred to the Secretary for 

award are poised—to some 

degree—to begin soliciting 

stewardship contracts and 

agreements.

1.2.a

Percentage of 

fires not 

contained in 

initial attack 

that exceed a 

stratified cost 

index.

18% 20.8% -16%

Despite the increase in fires that 

exceed the SCI this year, the 

agency believes that its continued 

efforts to manage risk on large 

incidents have been successful, 

and that these efforts will 

contribute to effective cost 

management. The agency will 

continue to refine how large and 

complex wildfires are managed, 

focusing on improving its risk 

management protocols and 

striving to increase incident 

management efficiency. Fire 

managers will use the latest 

decision support tools, emerging 

technology, and localized 

knowledge to make decisions and 

measure the probability of 

success of those decisions to 

reduce risk while more 

effectively managing cost. 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Annual Performance Report 1-37

Strategic 

Objective

FY 2011 

Measure Target Actual % of Target Planned Corrective Actions

1.3a

Percentage of 

acres treated in 

the Wildland

Urban Interface 

that have been 

identified in 

community 

wildfire 

protection 

plans or 

equivalent 

plans. 

75% 60.8% 81%

The agency places significant 

focus on treating hazardous fuels 

acres identified in Community 

Wildfire Protection Plans and 

works in close coordination with 

communities at risk in the 

Wildland Urban Interface and 

will continue to do so in FY 2012 

and FY 2013. However, this is an 

extremely ambitious target and, 

while the accomplishments for 

this measure have trended upward 

in recent years, the agency did 

not meet the planned target. 

1.4b

Percentage of 

priority acres 

restored and/or 

protected from 

invasive 

species on 

Federal and 

Cooperative 

lands -NFS

90% 75.2% 84%

Although the NFS program 

achieved 84% of its restoration 

effectiveness target for the year, 

the slight decline was largely 

related to the increased focus on 

priority invasions, which 

typically have a higher risk level 

and are sometimes more difficult 

to prevent, control, or eradicate.

Treatment efficacy on these 

priority areas is sometimes lower 

in the first year, and require 

follow-up treatments against 

those targeted species in 

following years.

1.5c

Percentage of 

acres needing 

reforestation or 

timber stand 

improvement 

that were 

treated

18% 16% 86%

The target estimate included 

harvest units that were planned 

but not sold. Established forest 

vegetation activities cannot not 

occur until units are sold and 

harvested.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Annual Performance Report 1-38

Strategic 

Objective

FY 2011 

Measure Target Actual % of Target Planned Corrective Actions

2.2.a

Acres of 

national forests 

and grasslands 

under grazing 

permit that are 

sustainably 

managed for all 

rangeland 

products

81,560,000 

acres

75,387,241

acres

92%

Economic conditions for 

livestock producers combined 

with resource issues and 

associated management costs 

continue to result in reductions in 

demand for grazing allotments 

that become vacant. Target levels 

may need to be revised to be 

more in line with projected 

demand. In addition the agency 

will work towards identifying a 

performance measure that reflects 

agency performance in meeting 

established management 

objectives on active grazing 

allotments. 

2.3.b

Percentage of 

energy-mineral 

applications 

that are 

processed 

within 

prescribed 

timeframes

50% 44% 87%

The agency continues to process 

energy-related mineral proposals 

to the extent possible, but cannot 

issue final decision or move 

forward until outstanding legal 

issues are resolved. Additional 

requirements for air quality 

analysis and climate change 

contribute to the target shortfall 

as well as the effects of court 

decisions regarding activities in 

roadless areas and categorical 

exclusions. No changes are 

anticipated at this time.

3.2a

Acres of 

nonindustrial 

private forest 

land that are 

being managed 

sustainably 

under forest 

stewardship 

management 

plans.

(Annual

Cumulative)

2,250,000

23,500,000

1,531,858

21,124,245

68%

90%

State agencies must move 

resources and adapt programs to 

target newly established 

landscape focus areas and these 

adaptations take time – and 

initially resources – away from 

landowner management plan 

development. The Program will 

continue to focus on achieving 

outcomes by emphasizing 

provision of landowner assistance 

in priority landscape areas that 

have been identified in States’ 

Forest Action Plans.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Annual Performance Report 1-39

Strategic 

Objective

FY 2011 

Measure Target Actual % of Target Planned Corrective Actions

4.1.b.

Percentage of 

total recreation 

capacity at 

developed 

recreation sites 

that meets 

accessibility 

standards

27% 23% 86%

The Forest Service continues to 

be committed to the integration of 

accessibility into the agency’s 

recreation sites and facilities in 

response to both the legal 

mandate and to ensure inclusive 

opportunities for all people. The 

accessibility improvements are 

being made, however data entry 

is falling behind. Improved 

database links are in development 

and renewed visible support for 

accessibility by agency leadership 

is also planned for 2012. Both 

efforts should result in improved 

data entry and therefore 

accessibility measure outcomes in 

FY 2012.

4.1.c

Percentage of 

trails that meet 

national quality 

standards

40% 25% 62%

Over the past year, the Trails 

program has streamlined its data 

collection efforts. The FY 2011 

target for this measure was based 

on prior information. The Trails 

program has increased training 

for field personnel to ensure 

consistent data collection and

reporting. With more accurate 

data reporting under the new 

system, we will be better 

positioned to set appropriate 

targets.

4.2.a

Percentage of 

high priority 

access rightsof-way 

acquired

85% 15% 18%

The Forest Service is currently 

re-assessing the definition and 

interpretation of this measure 

which has proven to be 

problematic and difficult to 

calculate. The agency anticipates 

developing a more clear and 

consistent measure for this 

activity under the new Strategic 

Plan currently in development.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Annual Performance Report 1-40

Strategic 

Objective

FY 2011 

Measure Target Actual % of Target Planned Corrective Actions

4.3.a

Percentage of 

NFS lands 

covered by new 

motor vehicle 

use maps 

reflecting a 

designated-use 

system of 

roads, trails, 

and areas

100% 76.8% 77%

The agency continues its 

emphasis on producing motor 

vehicle use maps which reflect a 

system of roads, trails, and areas 

designated for motor vehicle use. 

Units which have not yet met the 

target are required to report 

monthly progress, and to identify 

the date by which they plan to 

meet the target. All remaining 

units have begun travel 

management planning to 

designate those routes and areas 

which are open to motor vehicle 

use, and most remaining units 

plan to complete the work within 

FY 2012.

5.2b

Percentage of 

newly reported 

encroachments 

and title claims 

administered to 

standard

20% N/A 0

The Forest Service is currently 

re-assessing the definition and 

interpretation of this measure 

which has proven to be 

problematic and difficult to 

calculate. The agency anticipates 

developing a more clear and 

consistent measure for this 

activity under the new Strategic 

Plan currently in development.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Annual Performance Report 1-41

External Audits and Reviews

FY 2011 OIG Audits Conducted on the Forest Service (FS)

OIG Open Audits

Audit 

Number Audit Title Report Issue Date Audit Status

08601-07-AT Invasive Species Program 9/30/10 Implementation of corrective 

actions is in progress

08601-54-SF FS Firefighting Succession 

Planning

3/31/10 Request for a change in 

management decision and 

closure is in progress

08601-55-SF FS Administration of Special 

Use Permits

6/16/11 Implementation of corrective 

actions is in progress

08601-56-SF FS Forest Legacy Program 4/20/11 Implementation of corrective 

actions is in progress

08703-01-HY FS Oversight and Control of 

Forest Service ARRA 

Activities

9/30/11 Implementation of corrective 

actions is in progress

OIG Audits Officially Closed in FY 2011

Audit 

Number Audit Title Report Issue Date Closure Date

08001-01-AT Implementation of the Capital Improvement 

Program 

11/03/06 2/23/11

08001-02-AT FS Contracted Labor Crews 3/29/10 9/1/11

08017-05-HY FS Contract Review for Fire Effect Modeling 

Programs

3/31/11 9/30/11

08401-08-FM FY 2007 Financial Statements 11/15/07 3/3/11

08401-09-FM FY 2008 Financial Statements 11/13/08 2/28/11

08401-10-FM FY 2009 Financial Statements 11/13/09 2/28/11

08401-11-FM FY 2010 Financial Statements 11/8/10 8/15/11

08601-02-HY Follow-up on Recommendations Made on the 

Maintenance of FS's Infrastructure

06/14/06 2/18/11

08601-30-SF Security Over Explosives/Munitions 03/31/03 1/6/11

08601-44-SF FS Large Fire Suppression Costs 11/20/06 3/24/11

08601-45-SF Follow-up Review FS Security Over Explosives/ 

Munitions Magazines Located Within the 

National Forest Systems

07/03/06 1/6/11

08601-51-SF Controls Over Documenting & Reporting 

Hurricane Relief Expenditures to FEMA

08/05/08 4/12/11

08601-52-SF FS Renewable Energy Program 08/12/08 2/4/11

08601-53-SF FS Replacement Plan for Firefighting Aerial 

Resources

07/16/09 5/20/11

08601-58-SF FS Follow-up on Prior OIG Firefighter Safety 

Audits 

09/30/10 8/18/11
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Annual Performance Report 1-42

Summary of OIG Audits

FY 2011 Beginning Inventory 10

 Audits added 10

Subtotals 20

 Audits closed 15

FY 2011 Ending Balance 5

FY 2011 GAO Audits

Audit Report 

Number Audit Title Report Issue Date Audit Status

GAO-11-12 Forest Service Research and 

Development: Improvements in Delivery 

of Research Results Can Help Ensure That 

Benefits of Research Are Realized

10/29/10 Implementation of corrective 

actions is in progress

GAO-11-38 Southwest Border: More Timely Border 

Patrol Access and Training Could Improve 

Security Operations and Natural Resource 

Protection on Federal Lands

10/19/10 Implementation of corrective 

actions is in progress

GAO-11-144 Federal Lands: Adopting a Formal, RiskBased Approach Could Help Land 

Management Agencies Better Manage 

Their Law Enforcement Resources

12/17/10 Implementation of corrective 

actions is in progress

GAO-11-177 Border Security: Additional Actions 

Needed to Better Ensure a Coordinated 

Federal Response to Illegal Activity on 

Federal Lands

11/18/10 Implementation of corrective 

actions is in progress

GAO-11-769 Forest Service Business Services: 

Further Actions Needed to Re-examine 

Centralization Approach and to Better 

Document Associated Costs

8/25/11 Implementation of corrective 

actions is in progress
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Annual Performance Report 1-43

Management Challenges

The OIG’s annual report to the Secretary on USDA Management Challenges was issued August 

2011. The report included one challenge specific to the Forest Service: ―Forest Service (FS) 

Management and Community Action Needed to Improve Forest Health and Reduce Firefighting 

Costs (Challenge 6).‖ The challenges were in regards to OIG audits conducted on the Forest 

Service’s Invasive Species Program, Forest Service’s Contracted Labor Crews, Large Fire 

Suppression Costs, Forest Service Replacement Plan for Firefighting Aerial Resources, and 

Forest Service Firefighting Succession Planning. Most actions were completed for these audits in 

FY 2011. A summary of the actions planned for completion in FY 2012 for the two remaining 

open audits follow:

FY 2012 Actions Planned:

Forest Service’ Invasive Species Program - OIG Audit Report No. 08601-7-AT:

Develop new NFS invasive species management policy (FSM 2900) to include programwide policy of providing early detection and rapid response (EDRR) within Forest 

Service (#1) and document all invasive species program’s internal policies and 

procedures.

Develop an adequate, cohesive internal control environment for managing the invasive 

species program and reporting accurately how much the agency is spending to combat 

invasive species.

Implement a monitoring plan to assess the invasive species program and related internal 

control.

Revise the National Strategy and Implementation Plan for Invasive Species management 

and establish a control for revising the strategy once every five years.

Develop an inventory plan including responsibilities, time frames, and benchmarks for 

inventorying all invasive species, the risk the species poses, and the efficacy of available 

treatments.

Develop a standard for how many acres are affected by each of the agency’s treatments, 

and require the regions to follow these standards when reporting performance results.

Develop and implement a formal review system to verify the accuracy of invasive species 

accomplishment data reported.

Firefighting Succession Planning – OIG Audit Report No. 08601-54- SF:

The Forest Service will develop a ―Firefighter Workforce and Succession Planning 

Action Plan‖ to list each recommendation from the audit and the key steps and milestones 

for completing all the tasks under the audit, along with the program leads and estimated 

completion dates.

The Forest Service will develop a ―Fire and Aviation Management Workforce and 

Development Strategic Framework‖ document that includes a workforce goal for 

recruiting, developing and retaining a highly skilled fire and aviation workforce, and 

support force of Forest Service employees in other disciplines. This document provides 

the overall philosophy and desired future of fire and aviation in the Forest Service. The 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Annual Performance Report 1-44

framework will help determine the appropriate numbers and skill mix of employees, and 

detail how the agency will get there. 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Appropriation Language Changes 2-1

TITLE III

RELATED AGENCIES

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Appropriations Language Changes proposed for FY 2013 are based upon the Consolidated 

Appropriations Act, 2012 (P.L. 112-74). Material proposed for deletion is enclosed in brackets; new 

language is underlined. 

FOREST SERVICE

FOREST AND RANGELAND RESEARCH

For necessary expenses of forest and rangeland research as authorized by law, [$295,773,000]

$292,796,000, to remain available until expended: Provided, That of the funds provided, 

[$64,372,000] $66,805,000 is for the forest inventory and analysis program.

STATE AND PRIVATE FORESTRY

For necessary expenses of cooperating with and providing technical and financial assistance to 

States, territories, possessions, and others, and for forest health management, including treatments 

of pests, pathogens, and invasive or noxious plants and for restoring and rehabilitating forests 

damaged by pests or invasive plants, cooperative forestry, and education and land conservation 

activities and conducting an international program as authorized, [$253,331,000] $250,730,000, to 

remain available until expended, as authorized by law; of which [$53,388,000] $60,000,000 is to 

be derived from the Land and Water Conservation Fund.

NATIONAL FOREST SYSTEM

1.

2.

3.

For necessary expenses of the Forest Service, not otherwise provided for, for management, 

protection, improvement, and utilization of the National Forest System, [$1,556,628,000]

$1,623,591,000, to remain available until expended: Provided, [That of the funds provided, 

$336,049,000 shall be for forest products: Provided further,] That of the funds provided, 

$40,000,000 shall be deposited in the Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Fund for 

ecological restoration treatments as authorized by 16 U.S.C. 7303(f): Provided further, That [of 

the funds provided, up to $68,000,000 is for the Integrated Resource Restoration pilot program for 

Region 1, Region 3 and Region 4: Provided further, That of the funds provided for forest 

products, up to $44,585,000 may be transferred to support the Integrated Resource Restoration 

pilot program in the preceding proviso.] funds provided under this heading may be used for 

necessary expenses of the Forest Service to manage Federal lands in Alaska for subsistence uses 

under title VIII of the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (Public Law 96-487):

Provided further, That funds provided under this heading shall be available for urgently needed 

road decommissioning, road and trail repair and maintenance and associated activities, and 

removal of fish passage barriers, especially in areas where Forest Service roads may be 

contributing to water quality problems in streams and water bodies that support threatened, 

endangered or sensitive species or community water sources, as authorized by Public Law 88-567, 

as amended (16 U.S.C. 532-538) and Public Law 85-767, as amended (23 U.S.C. 101 and 205): 

Provided further, That funds provided herein shall be available for the decommissioning of roads

which are no longer needed, including unauthorized roads not part of the transportation system.

Note 1: Removes the provision for Forest Products as this is now proposed for management within

the Integrated Resource Restoration program.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Appropriation Language Changes 2-2

Note 2: Removes provision regarding the Integrated Resource Restoration pilot program as this 

applies specifically to FY 2012.

Note 3: Incorporates authorization for the Management of National Forest Lands for Subsistence 

Uses, Legacy Roads & Trails activities, and decommissioning of roads into the National 

Forest System.

CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT AND MAINTENANCE (INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS)

1.

2.

3.

4.

For necessary expenses of the Forest Service, not otherwise provided for, [$394,721,000]

$346,379,000, to remain available until expended, for construction, capital improvement, 

maintenance and acquisition of buildings and other facilities and infrastructure; and for 

construction, reconstruction, [decommissioning (including decommissioning unauthorized roads 

not part of the transportation system),] and maintenance of forest roads and trails by the Forest 

Service as authorized by 16 U.S.C. 532-538 and 23 U.S.C. 101 and 205: Provided, That

[$45,000,000 shall be designated for urgently needed road decommissioning, road and trail repair 

and maintenance and associated activities, and removal of fish passage barriers, especially in areas 

where Forest Service roads may be contributing to water quality problems in streams and water 

bodies which support threatened, endangered, or sensitive species or community water sources:

Provided further, That] funds becoming available in fiscal year [2012] 2013 under the Act of 

March 4, 1913 (16 U.S.C. 501) shall be transferred to the General Fund of the Treasury and shall 

not be available for transfer or obligation for any other purpose unless the funds are appropriated[: 

Provided further, That of the funds provided for decommissioning of roads, up to $13,000,000 

may be transferred to the “National Forest System” to support the Integrated Resource Restoration 

pilot program].

Note 1: All responsibility for road decommissioning is proposed under the National Forest System.

Note 2: All responsibility for road decommissioning is proposed under the National Forest System.

Note 3: Proposes a change in mandatory program, deferral of Roads & Trails fund for FY 2013.

Note 4: Wording applies to FY 2012 as authorized by the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2012 

(P.L. 112-74).

LAND ACQUISITION

For expenses necessary to carry out the provisions of the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act 

of 1965, as amended (16 U.S.C. 460l-4 through 11), including administrative expenses, and for 

acquisition of land or waters, or interest therein, in accordance with statutory authority applicable 

to the Forest Service, [$52,605,000] $57,934,000, to be derived from the Land and Water 

Conservation Fund and to remain available until expended.

ACQUISITION OF LANDS FOR NATIONAL FORESTS SPECIAL ACTS

For acquisition of lands within the exterior boundaries of the Cache, Uinta, and Wasatch National 

Forests, Utah; the Toiyabe National Forest, Nevada; and the Angeles, San Bernardino, Sequoia, 

and Cleveland National Forests, California, as authorized by law, $955,000, to be derived from 

forest receipts.

Note: No language changes are proposed.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Appropriation Language Changes 2-3

ACQUISITION OF LANDS TO COMPLETE LAND EXCHANGES

For acquisition of lands, such sums, to be derived from funds deposited by State, county, or 

municipal governments, public school districts, or other public school authorities, and for 

authorized expenditures from funds deposited by non-Federal parties pursuant to Land Sale and 

Exchange Acts, pursuant to the Act of December 4, 1967, as amended (16 U.S.C. 484a), to remain 

available until expended (16 U.S.C. 460l-516-617a, 555a; Public Law 96-586; Public Law 76-589, 

76-591; and Public Law 78-310).

Note: No language changes are proposed.

RANGE BETTERMENT FUND

For necessary expenses of range rehabilitation, protection, and improvement, 50 percent of all 

moneys received during the prior fiscal year, as fees for grazing domestic livestock on lands in 

National Forests in the 16 Western States, pursuant to section 401(b)(1) of Public Law 94-579, as 

amended, to remain available until expended, of which not to exceed 6 percent shall be available 

for administrative expenses associated with on-the-ground range rehabilitation, protection, and 

improvements.

Note: No language changes are proposed.

GIFTS, DONATIONS AND BEQUESTS FOR FOREST AND RANGELAND RESEARCH

For expenses authorized by 16 U.S.C. 1643(b), [$45,000] $46,000, to remain available until 

expended, to be derived from the fund established pursuant to the above Act.

MANAGEMENT OF NATIONAL FOREST LANDS FOR SUBSISTENCE USES

1. [For necessary expenses of the Forest Service to manage Federal lands in Alaska for subsistence 

uses under title VIII of the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (Public Law 96-487), 

$2,577,000, to remain available until expended.]

Note 1: Responsibility for the Management of National Forest Lands for Subsistence Uses is 

proposed within the National Forest System.

WILDLAND FIRE MANAGEMENT (INCLUDING TRANSFERS OF FUNDS)

For necessary expenses for forest fire presuppression activities on National Forest System lands, 

for emergency fire suppression on or adjacent to such lands or other lands under fire protection 

agreement, hazardous fuels reduction on or adjacent to such lands, and for emergency 

rehabilitation of burned-over National Forest System lands and water, [$1,737,631,000]

$1,971,394,000, to remain available until expended: Provided, That such funds including 

unobligated balances under this heading, are available for repayment of advances from other 

appropriations accounts previously transferred for such purposes: Provided further, That such 

funds shall be available to reimburse State and other cooperating entities for services provided in 

response to wildfire and other emergencies or disasters to the extent such reimbursements by the 

Forest Service for non-fire emergencies are fully repaid by the responsible emergency 

management agency: Provided further, That, notwithstanding any other provision of law, 

[$7,262,000] $7,226,000 of funds appropriated under this appropriation shall be available for the 

Forest Service in support of fire science research authorized by the Joint Fire Science Program, 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Appropriation Language Changes 2-4

1.

2. 

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

including all Forest Service authorities for the use of funds, such as contracts, grants, research 

joint venture agreements, and cooperative agreements: Provided further, That all authorities for the 

use of funds, including the use of contracts, grants, and cooperative agreements, available to 

execute the Forest and Rangeland Research appropriation, are also available in the utilization of 

these funds for Fire Science Research: Provided further, That funds provided shall be available for 

emergency rehabilitation and restoration, hazardous fuels reduction activities [in the urbanwildland interface], support to Federal emergency response, and wildfire suppression activities of 

the Forest Service: Provided further, That of the funds provided, [$317,584,000] $241,600,000 is 

for hazardous fuels reduction activities, [$21,734,000] and $20,634,000 is for research activities 

and to make competitive research grants pursuant to the Forest and Rangeland Renewable 

Resources Research Act, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1641 et seq.), [$55,564,000 is for State fire 

assistance, $6,366,000 is for volunteer fire assistance, $15,983,000 is for forest health activities on 

Federal lands and $8,366,000 is for forest health activities on State and private lands]: Provided 

further, That amounts in this paragraph may be transferred to the [“State and Private Forestry'', 

“National Forest System'', and] “Forest and Rangeland Research'' [accounts] account to fund 

[State fire assistance, volunteer fire assistance, forest health management,] forest and rangeland 

research[,] and the Joint Fire Science Program[, vegetation and watershed management, heritage 

site rehabilitation, and wildlife and fish habitat management and restoration]: Provided further, 

That the costs of implementing any cooperative agreement between the Federal Government and 

any non-Federal entity may be shared, as mutually agreed on by the affected parties: Provided 

further, That [up to $15,000,000 of the] funds provided herein may be used by the Secretary of 

Agriculture to enter into procurement contracts or cooperative agreements or to issue grants for 

hazardous fuels reduction and for training or monitoring associated with such hazardous fuels 

reduction activities on Federal land or on non-Federal land if the Secretary determines such 

activities [implement a community wildfire protection plan (or equivalent) and] benefit resources 

on Federal land: Provided further, That funds made available to implement the Community Forest 

Restoration Act, Public Law 106-393, title VI, shall be available for use on non-Federal lands in 

accordance with authorities made available to the Forest Service under the “State and Private 

Forestry”' appropriation: Provided further, That the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of 

Agriculture may authorize the transfer of funds appropriated for wildland fire management, in an 

aggregate amount not to exceed $50,000,000, between the Departments when such transfers would 

facilitate and expedite wildland fire management programs and projects: Provided further, That, of 

the funds provided for hazardous fuels reduction, not to exceed $5,000,000 may be used to make 

grants, using any authorities available to the Forest Service under the “State and Private Forestry”

appropriation, for the purpose of creating incentives for increased use of biomass from National 

Forest System lands[: Provided further, That no amounts may be cancelled from amounts that 

were designated by the Congress as an emergency requirement pursuant to the Concurrent 

Resolution on the Budget or the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985, as 

amended: Provided further, That before obligating any of the funds provided herein for wildland 

fire suppression, the Secretary of Agriculture shall obligate all unobligated balances previously 

made available under this heading (including the unobligated balances transferred to Forest 

Service accounts under this heading by division B of the Consolidated Security, Disaster 

Assistance, and Continuing Appropriations Act, 2009 (Public Law 110-329, 122 Stat. 3594)) that, 

when appropriated, were designated by Congress as an emergency requirement pursuant to the 

Concurrent Resolution on the Budget or the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act 

of 1985 and notify the Committees on Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the 

Senate in writing of the imminent need to begin obligating funds provided herein for wildland fire 

suppression: Provided further, That funds designated for wildfire suppression, including funds 

transferred from the “FLAME Wildfire Suppression Reserve Fund”, shall be assessed for cost 

pools on the same basis as such assessments are calculated against other agency programs:
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Appropriation Language Changes 2-5

9. Provided further, That of the funds for hazardous fuels reduction, up to $21,000,000 may be 

transferred to the “National Forest System”' to support the Integrated Resource Restoration pilot 

program].

Note 1: Proposed language deletion increases agency flexibility.

Note 2: Proposed language deletion increases agency flexibility.

Note 3: Due to proposed consolidations of Forest Health Management and Fire Assistance, the 

only remaining transfer in need of authorization is to the Forest and Rangeland Research 

appropriation for forest and rangeland research and the Joint Fire Science Program.

Note 4: Funding for State and Volunteer Fire Assistance is proposed for consolidation within 

Wildland Fire Management.

Note 5: Language is suggested for deletion as these activities are proposed to be funded within the 

National Forest System.

Note 6: Proposed deletion increases agency flexibility. 

Note 7: Proposed deletion increases agency flexibility.

Note 8: Proposed deletion increases agency flexibility.

Note 9: Provision no longer needed as it was authorized for the one-time transfer of funds in FY 

2012 by the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2012 (P.L. 112-74).

FLAME WILDFIRE SUPPRESSION RESERVE FUND (INCLUDING TRANSFERS OF FUNDS)

For necessary expenses for large fire suppression operations of the Department of Agriculture and 

as a reserve fund for suppression and Federal emergency response activities, [$315,886,000]

$315,000,000, to remain available until expended: Provided, That such amounts are available only 

for transfer to the “Wildland Fire Management” account and only following a declaration by the 

Secretary that either (1) a wildland fire suppression event meets certain previously established 

risk-based written criteria for significant complexity, severity, or threat posed by the fire or (2) 

funds in the “Wildland Fire Management” account will be exhausted within 30 days.

ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS FOREST SERVICE (INCLUDING TRANSFERS OF FUNDS)

1.

Appropriations to the Forest Service for the current fiscal year shall be available for: (1) purchase 

of passenger motor vehicles; acquisition of passenger motor vehicles from excess sources, and hire 

of such vehicles; purchase, lease, operation, maintenance, and acquisition of aircraft [from excess 

sources] to maintain the operable fleet for use in Forest Service wildland fire programs and other 

Forest Service programs; notwithstanding other provisions of law, existing aircraft being replaced 

may be sold, with proceeds derived or trade-in value used to offset the purchase price for the 

replacement aircraft; (2) services pursuant to 7 U.S.C. 2225, and not to exceed $100,000 for 

employment under 5 U.S.C. 3109; (3) purchase, erection, and alteration of buildings and other 

public improvements (7 U.S.C. 2250); (4) acquisition of land, waters, and interests therein 

pursuant to 7 U.S.C. 428a; (5) for expenses pursuant to the Volunteers in the National Forest Act 

of 1972 (16 U.S.C. 558a, 558d, and 558a note); (6) the cost of uniforms as authorized by 5 U.S.C. 

5901-5902; and (7) for debt collection contracts in accordance with 31 U.S.C. 3718(c).

Note 1: Expands authority to purchase new aircraft other than large airtankers.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Appropriation Language Changes 2-6

1.

Any appropriations or funds available to the Forest Service may be transferred to the Wildland 

Fire Management appropriation for forest firefighting, emergency rehabilitation of burned-over or 

damaged lands or waters under its jurisdiction, and fire preparedness due to severe burning 

conditions upon the Secretary's notification of the House and Senate Committees on 

Appropriations that all fire suppression funds appropriated under the headings “Wildland Fire 

Management” and “FLAME Wildfire Suppression Reserve Fund” will be obligated within 30 

days[: Provided, That all funds used pursuant to this paragraph must be replenished by a 

supplemental appropriation which must be requested as promptly as possible]. 

Note 1: Changes authorization from requiring replenishment of funds through a supplemental 

appropriation.

Funds appropriated to the Forest Service shall be available for assistance to or through the Agency 

for International Development in connection with forest and rangeland research, technical 

information, and assistance in foreign countries, and shall be available to support forestry and 

related natural resource activities outside the United States and its territories and possessions, 

including technical assistance, education and training, and cooperation with U.S., private, and 

international organizations. The Forest Service, acting for the International Program, may sign 

direct funding agreements with foreign governments and institutions as well as other domestic 

agencies (including the U.S. Agency for International Development, the Department of State, and 

the Millennium Challenge Corporation), U.S. private sector firms, institutions and organizations to 

provide technical assistance and training programs overseas on forestry and rangeland 

management.

Note: No language changes are proposed.

None of the funds made available to the Forest Service in this Act or any other Act with respect to 

any fiscal year shall be subject to transfer under the provisions of section 702(b) of the Department 

of Agriculture Organic Act of 1944 (7 U.S.C. 2257), section 442 of Public Law 106-224 (7 U.S.C. 

7772), or section 10417(b) of Public Law 107-107 (7 U.S.C. 8316(b)).

Note: No language changes are proposed.

1. [None of the funds available to the Forest Service may be reprogrammed without the advance 

approval of the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations in accordance with the 

reprogramming procedures contained in the joint explanatory statement of the managers 

accompanying this Act.]

Note 1: Provision limits agency flexibility.

Not more than $82,000,000 of funds available to the Forest Service shall be transferred to the 

Working Capital Fund of the Department of Agriculture and not more than $14,500,000 of funds 

available to the Forest Service shall be transferred to the Department of Agriculture for 

Department Reimbursable Programs, commonly referred to as Greenbook charges. Nothing in this 

paragraph shall prohibit or limit the use of reimbursable agreements requested by the Forest 

Service in order to obtain services from the Department of Agriculture's National Information 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Appropriation Language Changes 2-7

Technology Center. Nothing in this paragraph shall limit the Forest Service portion of 

implementation costs to be paid to the Department of Agriculture for the Financial Management 

Modernization Initiative.

Note: No language changes are proposed.

1. [Of the funds] Funds available to the Forest Service [up to $5,000,000] shall be available for 

priority projects within the scope of the approved budget, which shall be carried out by the Youth 

Conservation Corps and shall be carried out under the authority of the Public Lands Corps Act of 

1993, Public Law 103-82, as amended by Public Lands Corps Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 

2005, Public Law 109-154.

Note 1: Proposed deletion increases agency flexibility.

Of the funds available to the Forest Service, $4,000 is available to the Chief of the Forest Service 

for official reception and representation expenses.

Note: No language changes are proposed.

Pursuant to sections 405(b) and 410(b) of Public Law 101-593, of the funds available to the Forest 

Service, up to $3,000,000 may be advanced in a lump sum to the National Forest Foundation to 

aid conservation partnership projects in support of the Forest Service mission, without regard to 

when the Foundation incurs expenses, for projects on or benefitting National Forest System lands 

or related to Forest Service programs: Provided, That of the Federal funds made available to the 

Foundation, no more than $300,000 shall be available for administrative expenses: Provided 

further, That the Foundation shall obtain, by the end of the period of Federal financial assistance,

private contributions to match on at least one-for-one basis funds made available by the Forest 

Service: Provided further, That the Foundation may transfer Federal funds to a Federal or a nonFederal recipient for a project at the same rate that the recipient has obtained the non-Federal 

matching funds: Provided further, That authorized investments of Federal funds held by the 

Foundation may be made only in interest-bearing obligations of the United States or in obligations 

guaranteed as to both principal and interest by the United States.

Note: No language changes are proposed.

1. Pursuant to section 2(b)(2) of Public Law 98-244, up to $3,000,000 of the funds available to the 

Forest Service may be advanced to the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation in a lump sum to 

aid cost-share conservation projects, without regard to when expenses are incurred, on or 

benefitting National Forest System lands or related to Forest Service programs: Provided, That

such funds shall be matched on at least a one-for-one basis by the Foundation or its sub-recipients: 

Provided further, That the Foundation may transfer Federal funds to a Federal or non-Federal

recipient for a project at the same rate that the recipient has obtained the non-Federal matching 

funds.

Note 1: Additional language provides greater agency flexibility.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Appropriation Language Changes 2-8

Funds appropriated to the Forest Service shall be available for interactions with and providing 

technical assistance to rural communities and natural resource-based businesses for sustainable 

rural development purposes.

Note: No language changes are proposed.

1. [Funds appropriated to the Forest Service shall be available for payments to counties within the 

Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, pursuant to section 14(c)(1) and (2), and section 

16(a)(2) of Public Law 99-663.]

Note 1: Proposed deletion increases agency flexibility.

1. [Any funds appropriated to the Forest Service may be used to meet the non-Federal share 

requirement in section 502(c) of the Older American Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 3056(c)(2)).]

Note 1: Removes provision as it applies specifically to FY 2012.

Funds available to the Forest Service, not to exceed $55,000,000, shall be assessed for the purpose 

of performing fire, administrative and other facilities maintenance and decommissioning. Such 

assessments shall occur using a square foot rate charged on the same basis the agency uses to 

assess programs for payment of rent, utilities, and other support services.

Note: No language changes are proposed.

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any appropriations or funds available to the Forest 

Service not to exceed $500,000 may be used to reimburse the Office of the General Counsel 

(OGC), Department of Agriculture, for travel and related expenses incurred as a result of OGC 

assistance or participation requested by the Forest Service at meetings, training sessions, 

management reviews, land purchase negotiations and similar nonlitigation-related matters. Future 

budget justifications for both the Forest Service and the Department of Agriculture should clearly 

display the sums previously transferred and the requested funding transfers.

Note: No language changes are proposed.

1. [An eligible individual who is employed in any project funded under title V of the Older American 

Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 3056 et seq.) and administered by the Forest Service shall be considered to 

be a Federal employee for purposes of chapter 171 of title 28, United States Code.]

Note 1: Removes provision as it applies specifically to FY 2012.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Appropriation Language Changes 2-9

Title IV

GENERAL PROVISIONS

(Including Transfers of Funds)

LIMITATION ON CONSULTING SERVICES

SEC. 401. The expenditure of any appropriation under this Act for any consulting service through 

procurement contract, pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 3109, shall be limited to those contracts where such 

expenditures are a matter of public record and available for public inspection, except where 

otherwise provided under existing law, or under existing Executive order issued pursuant to 

existing law.

Note: No language changes are proposed.

[RESTRICTION ON USE OF FUNDS]

1 [SEC. 402. No part of any appropriation contained in this Act shall be available for any activity or 

the publication or distribution of literature that in any way tends to promote public support or 

opposition to any legislative proposal on which Congressional action is not complete other than to 

communicate to Members of Congress as described in 18 U.S.C. 1913.]

Note 1: Removes provision as it applies specifically to FY 2012.

OBLIGATION OF APPROPRIATIONS

1. SEC. [403]402. No part of any appropriation contained in this Act shall remain available for 

obligation beyond the current fiscal year unless expressly so provided herein.

Note 1: Changes section number.

PROHIBITION ON USE OF FUNDS FOR PERSONAL SERVICES

1. SEC. [404]403. None of the funds provided in this Act to any department or agency shall be 

obligated or expended to provide a personal cook, chauffeur, or other personal servants to any 

officer or employee of such department or agency except as otherwise provided by law.

Note 1: Changes section number.

DISCLOSURE OF ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES

1.

2.

SEC. [405]404. Estimated overhead charges, deductions, reserves or holdbacks from programs, 

projects, activities and subactivities to support government-wide, departmental, agency, or bureau 

administrative functions or headquarters, regional, or central operations shall be presented in 

annual budget justifications [and subject to approval by the Committees on Appropriations of the 

House of Representatives and the Senate. Changes]. Advance notice of changes to such estimates 

shall be presented to the Committees on Appropriations [for approval].

Note 1: Changes section number.

Note 2: Proposed language provides greater agency flexibility.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Appropriation Language Changes 2-10

GIANT SEQUOIA

1.

2.

SEC. [406]405. None of the funds in this Act may be used to plan, prepare, or offer for sale timber 

from trees classified as giant sequoia (Sequoiadendron giganteum) which are located on National

Forest System or Bureau of Land Management lands in a manner different than such sales were 

conducted in fiscal year [2011] 2012.

Note 1: Changes section number.

Note 2: Proposed language updates the fiscal year upon which sales are calculated.

MINING APPLICATIONS

1. SEC. [407]406. (a) LIMITATION OF FUNDS.—None of the funds appropriated or otherwise 

made available pursuant to this Act shall be obligated or expended to accept or process 

applications for a patent for any mining or mill site claim located under the general mining laws.

(b) EXCEPTIONS.—Subsection (a) shall not apply if the Secretary of the Interior determines that, 

for the claim concerned (1) a patent application was filed with the Secretary on or before 

September 30, 1994; and (2) all requirements established under sections 2325 and 2326 of the 

Revised Statutes (30 U.S.C. 29 and 30) for vein or lode claims, sections 2329, 2330, 2331, and 

2333 of the Revised Statutes (30 U.S.C. 35, 36, and 37) for placer claims, and section 2337 of the 

Revised Statutes (30 U.S.C. 42) for mill site claims, as the case may be, were fully complied with 

by the applicant by that date.

(c) REPORT.—On September 30, 2013, the Secretary of the Interior shall file with the House and 

Senate Committees on Appropriations and the Committee on Natural Resources of the House and 

the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate a report on actions taken by the 

Department under the plan submitted pursuant to section 314(c) of the Department of the Interior 

and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 1997 (Public Law 104–208).

(d) MINERAL EXAMINATIONS.—In order to process patent applications in a timely and 

responsible manner, upon the request of a patent applicant, the Secretary of the Interior shall allow 

the applicant to fund a qualified third-party contractor to be selected by the Director of the Bureau 

of Land Management to conduct a mineral examination of the mining claims or mill sites 

contained in a patent application as set forth in subsection (b). The Bureau of Land Management 

shall have the sole responsibility to choose and pay the third-party contractor in accordance with 

the standard procedures employed by the Bureau of Land Management in the retention of thirdparty contractors.

Note 1: Changes section number.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Appropriation Language Changes 2-11

CONTRACT SUPPORT COSTS

1. SEC. [408]407. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, amounts appropriated to or otherwise 

designated in committee reports for the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Indian Health Service by 

Public Laws 103–138, 103–332, 104–134, 104–208, 105–83, 105–277, 106–113, 106–291, 107–

63, 108–7, 108–108, 108–447, 109–54, 109–289, division B and Continuing Appropriations 

Resolution, 2007 (division B of Public Law 109–289, as amended by Public Laws 110–5 and 110–

28), Public Laws 110–92, 110–116, 110–137, 110–149, 110–161, 110–329, 111–6, 111–8, 111–

88, and 112–10 for payments for contract support costs associated with self-determination or selfgovernance contracts, grants, compacts, or annual funding agreements with the Bureau of Indian 

Affairs or the Indian Health Service as funded by such Acts, are the total amounts available for 

fiscal years 1994 through 2011 for such purposes, except that the Bureau of Indian Affairs, tribes 

and tribal organizations may use their tribal priority allocations for unmet contract support costs of 

ongoing contracts, grants, self-governance compacts, or annual funding agreements.

Note 1: Changes section number; however, provision is not applicable to the Forest Service. 

FOREST MANAGEMENT PLANS

1. SEC. [409]408. The Secretary of Agriculture shall not be considered to be in violation of 

subparagraph 6(f)(5)(A) of the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974 

(16 U.S.C. 1604(f)(5)(A)) solely because more than 15 years have passed without revision of the 

plan for a unit of the National Forest System. Nothing in this section exempts the Secretary from 

any other requirement of the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act (16 U.S.C. 

1600 et seq.) or any other law: Provided, That if the Secretary is not acting expeditiously and in 

good faith, within the funding available, to revise a plan for a unit of the National Forest System, 

this section shall be void with respect to such plan and a court of proper jurisdiction may order 

completion of the plan on an accelerated basis.

Note 1: Changes section number.

PROHIBITION WITHIN NATIONAL MONUMENTS

1. SEC. [410]409. No funds provided in this Act may be expended to conduct pre-leasing, leasing 

and related activities under either the Mineral Leasing Act (30 U.S.C. 181 et seq.) or the Outer 

Continental Shelf Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 1331 et seq.) within the boundaries of a National 

Monument established pursuant to the Act of June 8, 1906 (16 U.S.C. 431 et seq.) as such 

boundary existed on January 20, 2001, except where such activities are allowed under the 

Presidential proclamation establishing such monument.

Note 1: Changes section number.

[AMENDMENTS TO THE TEMPORARY EMERGENCY WILDFIRE SUPPRESSION ACT]

1. [AMENDMENTS TO THE TEMPORARY EMERGENCY WILDFIRE SUPPRESSION ACT

SEC. 411. The Temporary Emergency Wildfire Suppression Act (42 U.S.C. 1856m et seq.) is 

amended—

(1) in the first section (42 U.S.C. 1856m note)—

(A) by striking "That this'' and inserting the following: 

"SEC. 1. SHORT TITLE."This''; and

(B) by striking "Temporary''; 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Appropriation Language Changes 2-12

(2) by striking section 2 (42 U.S.C. 1856m) and inserting the following: "SEC. 2. 

DEFINITIONS."In this Act:

"(1)ASSUME ANY AND ALL LIABILITY.—The term 'assume any and all liability' means—

"(A) the payment of—

"(i) any judgment, settlement, fine, penalty, or cost assessment (including prevailing party legal 

fees) associated with the applicable litigation; and

"(ii) any cost incurred in handling the applicable litigation (including legal fees); and

"(B) with respect to a Federal firefighter, arranging for, and paying the costs of, representation in 

the applicable litigation.

"(2)FEDERAL FIREFIGHTER.—The term 'Federal firefighter' means an individual furnished by 

the Secretary of Agriculture or the Secretary of the Interior under an agreement entered into under 

section 3. 

"(3)FOREIGN FIRE ORGANIZATION.—The term 'foreign fire organization' means any foreign 

governmental, public, or private entity that has wildfire protection resources.

"(4)FOREIGN FIREFIGHTER.—The term 'foreign firefighter' means an individual furnished by a 

foreign fire organization under an agreement entered into under section 3.

"(5)WILDFIRE.—The term 'wildfire' means any forest or range fire.

"(6)WILDFIRE PROTECTION RESOURCES.—The term 'wildfire protection resources' means 

any personnel, supplies, equipment, or other resources required for wildfire presuppression and 

suppression activities.''; 

(3) in section 3 (42 U.S.C. 1856n)—

(A) in subsection (a)—

(i) by striking "(a)(1) The Secretary of Agriculture'' and inserting the following: 

"(a)EXCHANGE OF WILDFIRE PROTECTION RESOURCES UNDER A RECIPROCAL 

AGREEMENT WITH A FOREIGN FIRE ORGANIZATION.—

"(1)AUTHORITY TO ENTER INTO A RECIPROCAL AGREEMENT.—The Secretary of 

Agriculture''; and 

(ii) in paragraph (2), by striking "(2) Any agreement'' and inserting the following:

"(2)REQUIREMENTS FOR A RECIPROCAL AGREEMENT.—Any agreement''; 

(B) in subsection (b)—

(i) by striking "(b) In the absence'' and inserting the following: 

"(b)EXCHANGE OF WILDFIRE PROTECTION RESOURCES WITHOUT A RECIPROCAL 

AGREEMENT.—In the absence''; and 

(ii) in paragraph (1), by striking "United States, and'' and inserting "United States; and''; 

(C) in subsection (c), by striking "(c) Notwithstanding'' and inserting the following:

"(c)REIMBURSEMENT UNDER AGREEMENTS WITH CANADA.—Notwithstanding''; and 

(D) in subsection (d)—

(i) by striking, "(d) Any service'' and inserting the following: 

"(d)SERVICE PERFORMED UNDER THIS ACT BY FEDERAL EMPLOYEES.— "(1)IN 

GENERAL.—Any service''; and 

(ii) in the second sentence, by striking "The'' and inserting the following:

"(2)EFFECT.—Except as provided in section 4, the''; 

(4) by redesignating section 4 (42 U.S.C. 1856o) as section 5;

(5) by inserting after section 3 the following: 

"SEC. 4. RECIPROCAL AGREEMENTS WITH LIABILITY COVERAGE."( a)PROTECTION 

FROM LIABILITY FOR FOREIGN FIREFIGHTERS AND FOREIGN FIRE 

ORGANIZATIONS.—Subject to subsection (b), in an agreement with a foreign fire organization 

entered into under section 3, the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the Interior may 

provide that—

"(1) a foreign firefighter shall be considered to be an employee of the United States for purposes 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Appropriation Language Changes 2-13

of tort liability while the foreign firefighter is acting within the scope of an official duty under the 

agreement; and 

"(2) any claim against the foreign fire organization or any legal organization associated with the 

foreign firefighter that arises out of an act or omission of the foreign firefighter in the performance 

of an official duty under the agreement, or that arises out of any other act, omission, or occurrence 

for which the foreign fire organization or legal organization associated with the foreign firefighter 

is legally responsible under applicable law, may be prosecuted only—

"(A) against the United States; and 

"(B) as if the act or omission were the act or omission of an employee of the United States.

"(b)PROTECTION FROM LIABILITY FOR FEDERAL FIREFIGHTERS AND THE FEDERAL 

GOVERNMENT.—The Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the Interior may provide the 

protections under subsection (a) if the foreign fire organization agrees—

"(1) to assume any and all liability for any legal action brought against the Federal firefighter for 

an act or omission of the Federal firefighter while acting within the scope of an official duty under 

the agreement; and

"(2) to the extent the United States or any legal organization associated with the Federal firefighter 

is not entitled to immunity from the jurisdiction of the courts having jurisdiction over the foreign 

fire organization receiving the services of the Federal firefighters, to assume any and all liability 

for any legal action brought against the United States or the legal organization arising out of—

"(A) an act or omission of the Federal firefighter in the performance of an official duty under the 

agreement; or

"(B) any other act, omission, or occurrence for which the United States or the legal organization 

associated with the Federal firefighter is legally responsible under the laws applicable to the 

foreign fire organization.''; and 

(6) in section 5 (as redesignated by paragraph (4))—

(A) by striking "under section 3(c)'' and inserting "under this Act''; and

(B) in the proviso—

(i) by striking "wildfire protection resources or personnel'' each place it appears 

and inserting "wildfire protection resources (including personnel)''; 

(ii) by inserting "for wildfire suppression activities'' before "unless''; and

(iii) by striking "provide wildfire protection'' and inserting "provide wildfire 

suppression''. ]

Note 1: Provision no longer needed as it was authorized by the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 

2012 (P.L. 112-74).

[CONTRACTING AUTHORITIES]

1. [SEC. 412. In awarding a Federal contract with funds made available by this Act, notwithstanding 

Federal Government procurement and contracting laws, the Secretary of Agriculture and the 

Secretary of the Interior (the ‘‘Secretaries’’) may, in evaluating bids and proposals, through fiscal 

year 2013, give consideration to local contractors who are from, and who provide employment and 

training for, dislocated and displaced workers in an economically disadvantaged rural community, 

including those historically timber-dependent areas that have been affected by reduced timber 

harvesting on Federal lands and other forest-dependent rural communities isolated from significant 

alternative employment opportunities: Provided, That notwithstanding Federal Government 

procurement and contracting laws the Secretaries may award contracts, grants or cooperative 

agreements to local non-profit entities, Youth Conservation Corps or related partnerships with 

State, local or non-profit youth groups, or small or micro-business or disadvantaged business: 

Provided further, That the contract, grant, or cooperative agreement is for forest hazardous fuels 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Appropriation Language Changes 2-14

reduction, watershed or water quality monitoring or restoration, wildlife or fish population 

monitoring, road decommissioning, trail maintenance or improvement, or habitat restoration or 

management: Provided further, That the terms ‘‘rural community’’ and ‘‘economically 

disadvantaged’’ shall have the same meanings as in section 2374 of Public Law 101–624 (16 

U.S.C. 6612): Provided further, That the Secretaries shall develop guidance to implement this 

section: Provided further, That nothing in this section shall be construed as relieving the 

Secretaries of any duty under applicable procurement laws, except as provided in this section.]

Note 1: Removes provision as it applies specifically to funding provided through the Consolidated 

Appropriations Act, 2012 (P.L. 112-74).

LIMITATION ON TAKINGS

1.

2.

SEC. [413] 410. Unless otherwise provided herein, no funds appropriated in this Act for the 

acquisition of lands or interests in lands may be expended for the filing of declarations of taking or 

complaints in condemnation without [the approval of] prior notification to the House and Senate 

Committees on Appropriations: Provided, That this provision shall not apply to funds appropriated 

to implement the Everglades National Park Protection and Expansion Act of 1989, or to funds 

appropriated for Federal assistance to the State of Florida to acquire lands for Everglades 

restoration purposes.

Note 1: Changes section number.

Note 2: Proposed language clarifies the process regarding potential taking and condemnation 

activities.

[TIMBER SALE REQUIREMENTS]

1. [SEC. 414. No timber sale in Alaska’s Region 10 shall be advertised if the indicated rate is deficit 

(defined as the value of the timber is not sufficient to cover all logging and stumpage costs and 

provide a normal profit and risk allowance under the Forest Service’s appraisal process) when 

appraised using a residual value appraisal. The western red cedar timber from those sales which is 

surplus to the needs of the domestic processors in Alaska, shall be made available to domestic 

processors in the contiguous 48 United States at prevailing domestic prices. All additional western 

red cedar volume not sold to Alaska or contiguous 48 United States domestic processors may be 

exported to foreign markets at the election of the timber sale holder. All Alaska yellow cedar may 

be sold at prevailing export prices at the election of the timber sale holder.]

Note 1: Proposed for deletion as it limits agency flexibility and creates an excessive administrative 

burden. Current law requires residual value appraisal and domestic use of timber.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Appropriation Language Changes 2-15

[EXTENSION OF GRAZING PERMITS]

1. [SEC. 415. The terms and conditions of section 325 of Public Law 108–108 (117 Stat. 1307), 

regarding grazing permits at the Department of the Interior and the Forest Service, shall remain in 

effect for fiscal years 2012 and 2013. A grazing permit or lease issued by the Secretary of the 

Interior for lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management that is the subject of a request 

for a grazing preference transfer shall be issued, without further processing, for the remaining time 

period in the existing permit or lease using the same mandatory terms and conditions. If the 

authorized officer determines a change in the mandatory terms and conditions is required, the new 

permit must be processed as directed in section 325 of Public Law 108–108.]

Note 1: Provision no longer needed as it was authorized by the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 

2012 (P.L. 112-74).

PROHIBITION ON NO-BID CONTRACTS

1. SEC. [416] 411. None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made available by this Act to 

executive branch agencies may be used to enter into any Federal contract unless such contract is 

entered into in accordance with the requirements of Chapter 33 of title 41, United States Code, or 

Chapter 137 of title 10, United States Code, and the Federal Acquisition Regulation, unless—

(1) Federal law specifically authorizes a contract to be entered into without regard for these 

requirements, including formula grants for States, or federally recognized Indian tribes; or (2) such 

contract is authorized by the Indian Self-Determination and Education and Assistance Act (Public 

Law 93–638, 25 U.S.C. 450 et seq., as amended) or by any other Federal laws that specifically 

authorize a contract within an Indian tribe as defined in section 4(e) of that Act (25 U.S.C. 

450b(e)); or (3) such contract was awarded prior to the date of enactment of this Act.

Note 1: Changes section number.

POSTING OF REPORTS

1. SEC. [417] 412. (a) Any agency receiving funds made available in this Act, shall, subject to 

subsections (b) and (c), post on the public website of that agency any report required to be 

submitted by the Congress in this or any other Act, upon the determination by the head of the

agency that it shall serve the national interest. (b) Subsection (a) shall not apply to a report if—

(1) the public posting of the report compromises national security; or

(2) the report contains proprietary information.

(c) The head of the agency posting such report shall do so only after such report has been made 

available to the requesting Committee or Committees of Congress for no less than 45 days.

Note 1: Changes section number.

NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS GRANT GUIDELINES

1. SEC. [418] 413. 

Note 1: Changes section number; however, provision is not applicable to the Forest Service.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Appropriation Language Changes 2-16

NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS PROGRAM PRIORITIES

1. SEC. [419] 414. 

Note 1: Changes section number; however, provision is not applicable to the Forest Service.

NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS AWARDS TO STATES

SEC. 415. 

Note : No language changes proposed; however, provision is not applicable to the Forest Service.

[USE OF COMPETITIVE GRANT FUNDS]

1. [SEC. 420. Section 6(d) of Public Law 96–297 (16 U.S.C. 431 note), as added by section 101 of 

Public Law 108–126, is amended by inserting ‘‘, except funds awarded through competitive 

grants,’’ after ‘‘No Federal funds’’.]

Note 1: Provision no longer needed as it was authorized by the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 

2012 (P.L. 112-74).

[FOREST SERVICE FACILITY REALIGNMENT AND ENHANCEMENT]

1. [SEC. 421. Section 503(f) of the Forest Service Realignment and Enhancement Act of 2005 (title 

V of Public Law 109–54; 16 U.S.C. 580d note), as amended by section 422(1) of Public Law

111–8 (123 Stat. 748), is further amended by striking ‘‘2011’’ and inserting ‘‘2016’’.]

Note 1: Provision no longer needed as it was authorized by the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 

2012 (P.L. 112-74).

[SERVICE FIRST]

1. [SEC. 422. Section 330 of the Department of the Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations 

Act, 2001 (Public Law 106–291; 114 Stat. 996; 43 U.S.C. 1701 note), concerning Service First 

authorities, as amended by section 428 of Public Law 109–54 (119 Stat. 555–556) and section 418 

of Public Law 111–8 (123 Stat. 747), is amended—

(1) by striking in the first sentence ‘‘In fiscal years 2001 through 2011’’, and inserting ‘‘In fiscal 

year 2012 and each fiscal year thereafter’’; and

(2) by striking in the first sentence ‘‘pilot programs’’ and inserting ‘‘programs.’’]

Note 1: Provision no longer needed as it was authorized by the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 

2012 (P.L. 112-74).
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Appropriation Language Changes 2-17

[FEDERAL, STATE, COOPERATIVE FOREST, RANGE-LAND AND WATERSHED 

RESTORATION IN UTAH]

1. [SEC. 423. The authority provided by section 337 of the Department of the Interior and Related 

Agencies Appropriations Act, 2005 (Public Law 108–447; 118 Stat. 3012), as amended, shall 

remain in effect until September 30, 2013.]

Note 1: Provision no longer needed as it was authorized by the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 

2012 (P.L. 112-74).

[STATUS OF BALANCES OF APPROPRIATIONS]

1. [SEC. 424. The Department of the Interior, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Forest 

Service, and the Indian Health Service shall provide the Committees on Appropriations of the 

House of Representatives and Senate quarterly reports on the status of balances of appropriations 

including all uncommitted, committed, and unobligated funds in each program and activity.]

Note 1: Proposed for deletion as this would create an excessive administrative burden and 

duplicate existing financial reporting protocols.

[REPORT ON USE OF CLIMATE CHANGE FUNDS

1. [SEC. 425. Not later than 120 days after the date on which the President’s fiscal year 2013 budget 

request is submitted to Congress, the President shall submit a comprehensive report to the 

Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the Committee on 

Appropriations of the Senate describing in detail all Federal agency funding, domestic and 

international, for climate change programs, projects and activities in fiscal year 2011, including an 

accounting of funding by agency with each agency identifying climate change programs, projects 

and activities and associated costs by line item as presented in the President’s Budget Appendix, 

and including citations and linkages where practicable to each strategic plan that is driving funding 

within each climate change program, project and activity listed in the report.]

Note 1: Removes provision as it applies specifically to FY 2012.

[PROHIBITION ON USE OF FUNDS]

1. [SEC. 426. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, none of the funds made available in this 

Act or any other Act may be used to promulgate or implement any regulation requiring the 

issuance of permits under title V of the Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. 7661 et seq.) for carbon dioxide, 

nitrous oxide, water vapor, or methane emissions resulting from biological processes associated 

with livestock production.]

Note 1: Removes provision as it applies specifically to FY 2012.

[GREENHOUSE GAS REPORTING RESTRICTIONS]

1. [SEC. 427. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, none of the funds made available in this 

or any other Act may be used to implement any provision in a rule, if that provision requires 

mandatory reporting of greenhouse gas emissions from manure management systems.]

Note 1: Removes provision as it applies specifically to FY 2012.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Appropriation Language Changes 2-18

[FOREST SERVICE PRE-DECISIONAL OBJECTION PROCESS]

1. [SEC. 428. Hereafter, upon issuance of final regulations, the Secretary of Agriculture, acting 

through the Chief of the Forest Service, shall apply section 105(a) of the Healthy Forests 

Restoration Act of 2003 (16 U.S.C. 6515(a)), providing for a pre-decisional objection process, to 

proposed actions of the Forest Service concerning projects and activities implementing land and 

resource management plans developed under the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources 

Planning Act of 1974 (16 U.S.C. 1600 et seq.), and documented with a Record of Decision or 

Decision Notice, in lieu of subsections (c), (d), and (e) of section 322 of Public Law 102–381 (16 

U.S.C. 1612 note), providing for an administrative appeal process: Provided, That if the Chief of 

the Forest Service determines an emergency situation exists for which immediate implementation 

of a proposed action is necessary, the proposed action shall not be subject to the pre-decisional 

objection process, and implementation shall begin immediately after the Forest Service gives 

notice of the final decision for the proposed action: Provided further, That this section shall not 

apply to an authorized hazardous fuel reduction project under title I of the Healthy Forests 

Restoration Act of 2003 (16 U.S.C. 6501 et seq.).]

Note 1: Provision no longer needed as it was authorized by the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 

2012 (P.L. 112-74).

[SILVICULTURAL ACTIVITIES]

1 [SEC. 429. From the date of enactment of this Act until September 30, 2012, the Administrator of 

the Environmental Protection Agency shall not require a permit under section 402 of the Federal

Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1342), nor shall the Administrator directly or indirectly 

require any State to require a permit, for discharges of stormwater runoff from roads, the 

construction, use, or maintenance of which are associated with silvicultural activities, or from 

other silvicultural activities involving nursery operations, site preparation, reforestation and 

subsequent cultural treatment, thinning, prescribed burning, pest and fire control, harvesting 

operations, or surface drainage.]

Note 1: Removes provision as it applies specifically to FY 2012.

[CLAIM MAINTENANCE FEE AMENDMENTS

1. [SEC. 430. Section 10101 of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993 (30 U.S.C. 28f) is 

amended—

(1) in subsection (a)—

(A) by striking so much as precedes the second sentence and inserting the following:

‘‘(a) CLAIM MAINTENANCE FEE.—

‘‘(1) LODE MINING CLAIMS, MILL SITES, AND TUNNEL SITES.—

The holder of each unpatented lode mining claim, mill site, or tunnel site, located pursuant to the 

mining laws of the United States on or after August 10, 1993, shall pay to the Secretary of the 

Interior, on or before September 1 of each year, to the extent provided in advance in 

appropriations Acts, a claim maintenance fee of $100 per claim or site, respectively.’’; and

(B) by adding at the end the following:

‘‘(2) PLACER MINING CLAIMS.—The holder of each unpatented placer mining claim located 

pursuant to the mining laws of the United States located before, on, or after August 10, 1993, shall 

pay to the Secretary of the Interior, on or before September 1 of each year, the claim maintenance 

fee described in subsection (a), for each 20 acres of the placer claim or portion thereof.’’; and (2) 

in subsection (b), by striking the first sentence and inserting the following: ‘‘The claim 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Appropriation Language Changes 2-19

maintenance fee under subsection (a) shall be paid for the year in which the location is made, at 

the time the location notice is recorded with the Bureau of Land Management.’’]

Note 1: Removes provision as it applies specifically to FY 2012.

[DOMESTIC LIVESTOCK GRAZING]

1 [SEC. 431 (a) PROHIBITION REGARDING POTENTIAL DOMESTIC SHEEP AND 

BIGHORN SHEEP CONTACT ON NATIONAL FOREST SYSTEM LAND.—Notwithstanding 

any other provision of law or regulation (other than the Endangered Species Act of 1973 and 

regulations issued under such Act), none of the funds made available by this

Act or made available by any other Act for fiscal year 2012 only may be used to carry out—

(1) any new management restrictions on domestic sheep on parcels of National Forest System land 

(as defined in the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974 (16 U.S.C. 

1609(a))) with potential domestic sheep and bighorn sheep (whether native or nonnative) contact 

in excess of the management restrictions that existed on July 1, 2011; or

(2) any other agency regulation for managing bighorn sheep populations on any allotment of such 

National Forest System land if the management action will result in a reduction in the number of 

domestic livestock permitted to graze on the allotment or in the distribution of livestock on the 

allotment.

(b) EXCEPTION.—Notwithstanding subsection (a), the Secretary of Agriculture may make such 

management changes as the Secretary determines to be necessary to manage bighorn sheep if

the management changes—

(1) are consistent with the wildlife plans of the relevant State fish and game agency and 

determined in consultation with that agency; and

(2) are developed in consultation with the affected permittees.

(c) BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT LANDS.—In circumstances involving conflicts 

between bighorn sheep and domestic sheep grazing on public lands (as defined in section 103 of 

the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1702)), the Bureau of Land 

Management may only modify or cancel domestic sheep grazing permits after consulting with the 

appropriate State fish and game agency. However, if the State in question has an approved State 

Wildlife Management Plan that addresses, with specificity, bighorn sheep management, then the 

Bureau of Land Management modification or cancellation of permits in that State shall conform to 

the bighorn sheep management objectives in the State Wildlife Management Plan, unless 

conformance would be inconsistent with Federal statute or regulation. The Bureau of Land 

Management shall be bound by the requirements of this subsection until September 30, 2012.

(d) VOLUNTARY CLOSURE OF ALLOTMENTS.—Nothing in this section shall be construed 

as limiting the voluntary closure of existing domestic sheep allotments when the closure is agreed 

to in writing between the permittee and the Secretary of the Interior or the Secretary of Agriculture 

and is carried out for the purpose of reducing conflicts between domestic sheep and bighorn sheep. 

(e) WAIVER OF GRAZING PERMITS AND LEASES.—The Secretary of the Interior and the 

Secretary of Agriculture may accept the voluntary waiver of any valid existing lease or permit 

authorizing grazing on National Forest System land described in subsection (a) or public lands 

described in subsection (c). If the grazing permit or lease for a grazing allotment is only partially 

within the area of potential domestic sheep and bighorn sheep contact, the affected permittee may 

elect to waive only the portion of the grazing permit or lease that is within that area. The Secretary 

concerned shall—

(1) terminate each permit or lease waived or portion of a permit or lease waived under this 

subsection;

(2) ensure a permanent end to domestic sheep grazing on the land covered by the waived permit or 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Appropriation Language Changes 2-20

lease or waived portion of the permit or lease unless or until there is no conflict with bighorn 

sheep management; and

(3) provide for the reimbursement of range improvements in compliance with section 4 of the Act 

of June 28, 1934 (commonly known as the Taylor Grazing Act; 43 U.S.C. 315c).]

Note 1: Provision proposed for deletion as it limits agency flexibility.

[AIR EMISSIONS FROM OUTER CONTINENTAL SHELF ACTIVITIES]

1. [SEC. 432.]

Note 1: Removes provision as it applies specifically to FY 2012; however, provision is not 

applicable to the Forest Service.

[FUNDING PROHIBITION]

1. [SEC. 433. None of the funds made available by this Act may be used to enter into a contract, 

memorandum of understanding, or cooperative agreement with, make a grant to, or provide a loan 

or loan guarantee to, any corporation that was convicted (or had an officer or agent of such 

corporation acting on behalf of the corporation convicted) of a felony criminal violation under any 

Federal law within the preceding 24 months, where the awarding agency is aware of the 

conviction, unless the agency has considered suspension or debarment of the corporation, or such 

officer or agent and made a determination that this further action is not necessary to protect the 

interests of the Government.]

Note 1: Removes provision as it applies specifically to FY 2012.

[LIMITATION WITH RESPECT TO DELINQUENT TAX DEBTS]

1. [SEC. 434. None of the funds made available by this Act may be used to enter into a contract, 

memorandum of understanding, or cooperative agreement with, make a grant to, or provide a loan 

or loan guarantee to, any corporation with respect to which any unpaid Federal tax liability that 

has been assessed, for which all judicial and administrative remedies have been exhausted or have 

lapsed, and that is not being paid in a timely manner pursuant to an agreement with the authority 

responsible for collecting the tax liability, where the awarding agency is aware of the unpaid tax 

liability, unless the agency has considered suspension or debarment of the corporation and made a 

determination that this further action is not necessary to protect the interests of the Government.]

Note 1: Removes provision as it applies specifically to FY 2012.

ALASKA NATIVE REGIONAL HEALTH ENTITIES

1. SEC. [435] 416. 

Note 1: Changes section number; however, provision is not applicable to the Forest Service.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Appropriation Language Changes 2-21

[GENERAL REDUCTION]

[SEC. 436. (a) ACROSS-THE-BOARD RESCISSIONS.—There is hereby rescinded an amount 

equal to 0.16 percent of the budget authority provided for fiscal year 2012 for any discretionary 

appropriation in titles I through IV of this Act.

(b) PROPORTIONATE APPLICATION.—Any rescission made by subsection

(a) shall be applied proportionately—

(1) to each discretionary account and each item of budget authority described in subsection (a); 

and

(2) within each such account and item, to each program, project, and activity (with programs, 

projects, and activities as delineated in the appropriation Act or accompanying reports for the 

relevant fiscal year covering such account or item, or for accounts and items not included in 

appropriation Acts, as delineated in the most recently submitted President’s budget).

(c) INDIAN LAND AND WATER CLAIM SETTLEMENTS.—Under the heading ‘‘Bureau of 

Indian Affairs, Indian Land and Water Claim Settlements and Miscellaneous Payments to 

Indians’’, the across-the-board rescission in this section, and any subsequent across-the-board 

rescission for fiscal year 2012, shall apply only to the first dollar amount in the paragraph and the 

distribution of the rescission shall be at the discretion of the Secretary of the Interior who shall 

submit a report on such distribution and the rationale therefore to the House and Senate 

Committees on Appropriations. 

(d) OMB REPORT.—Within 30 days after the date of the enactment of this section the Director of 

the Office of Management and Budget shall submit to the Committees on Appropriations of the 

House of Representatives and the Senate a report specifying the account and amount of each 

rescission made pursuant to this section.]

Note 1: Provision no longer needed as it was authorized by the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 

2012 (P.L. 112-74).

CONGRESSIONALLY DIRECTED SPENDING 

1.

2.

SEC. 417. The Bureau of Land Management, Fish and Wildlife Service, National Park Service, 

and Forest Service may allocate either greater or lesser amounts than those specified under the 

heading "Congressionally Directed Spending" accompanying Public Law 111–8 and in the table 

entitled "Incorporation of Congressionally Requested Projects" in the joint explanatory statement 

of managers accompanying Public Law 111–88 within the construction, land acquisition, or 

capital improvement and maintenance accounts when necessary to complete projects based on the 

original project scope or to utilize excess funds available after completion of a project on other 

projects within the same account, in consultation with the House and Senate Committees on 

Appropriations.

Note 1: Inserts section.

Note 2: Clarifies existing legislation.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Appropriation Language Changes 2-22

AUTHORIZED USE OF FUNDS

1.

2.

SEC. 418. Notwithstanding Section 430 of Division E of Public Law 111-8 and Section 444 of 

Public Law 111-88, the Secretary of Agriculture may utilize unobligated balances for change 

orders and contract administration costs within the scope of the original projects funded through 

Division A, Title VII, of Public Law 111-5.

Note 1: Inserts section.

Note 2: Allows for use of unobligated balances from Congressionally identified projects from FY 

2009 and FY 2010 appropriations Acts to be used for projects funded under the American 

Recovery and Reinvestment Act. 

HERGER-FEINSTEIN QUINCY LIBRARY GROUP FORESTRY RECOVERY ACT 

1.

2.

SEC. 419. Section 434 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2008 (Public Law 110–161), as 

amended shall remain in effect until September 30, 2013.

Note 1: Inserts section.

Note 2: Current authorization within the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2008 (Public Law 110-

161) will expire on September 30, 2012. This provision extends the authority to September 

30, 2013 to allow an independent scientific panel to compile the lessons learned from 13 

years of implementation of the Pilot Project and to prepare a final report to Congress, in 

consultation with the public, as required by the legislation.

ENHANCING FOREST SERVICE ADMINISTRATION OF RIGHTS-OF-WAY AND LAND USES

1.

2.

SEC. 420. – Section 331 of the Department of the Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations 

Act, 2000 (Public Law 106-113), as amended, is further amended –(as follows): (a)(1) in 

subsection (a) – by striking “develop and implement a pilot program” and inserting “implement a 

program”; (2) by striking “forest service” and inserting “Forest Service”; (3) by striking “through 

2012” and inserting “and each fiscal year thereafter”; and (4) by striking “Prior to the expiration” 

and all that follows through “permit applications.”; and (b) in subsection (b), by striking “during 

fiscal years 2000 through 2012,”.

Note 1: Inserts section.

Note 2: Proposes permanent authority, amending Section 331 of Public Law 106–113, 113 Stat. 

1501A–196, as amended by Pub. L. 108-447, div. E, title III, Sec. 345, Dec. 8, 2004, 118 

Stat. 3105; and Pub. L. 109-54, title IV, Sec. 425. 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Appropriation Language Changes 2-23

INTERPRETIVE ASSOCIATIONS

1.

2.

SEC. 421. Partnership authorities.-

(a) In general.- The Secretary of Agriculture may enter into an agreement under the 

Cooperative Funds and Deposits Act (Public Law 94-148), as amended, with Federal, tribal, 

State, or local governments, or nonprofit entities, for additional purposes as follows:

(1) to develop, produce, publish, distribute, or sell educational and interpretive materials 

and products;

(2) to develop, conduct, or sell educational and interpretive programs and services;

(3) to construct, maintain, or improve facilities not under the jurisdiction, custody, or 

control of the Administrator of General Services on or in the vicinity of National Forest 

System lands for the sale or distribution of educational and interpretive materials, 

products, programs, and services;

(4) to operate facilities (including providing the services of Forest Service employees to 

staff facilities) in any public or private building or on land not under the jurisdiction, 

custody, or control of the Administrator of General Services for the sale or distribution 

of educational and interpretive materials, products, programs, and services, pertaining to 

National Forest System lands, private lands and lands administered by other public 

entities;

(5) to sell health and safety products, visitor convenience items, or other similar items 

(as determined by the Secretary) in facilities not under the jurisdiction, custody, or 

control of the Administrator of General Services on or in the vicinity of National Forest 

System lands; and

(6) to collect funds on behalf of cooperators from the sale of materials, products, 

programs, and services, as authorized by this section, when incidental to other duties of 

Forest Service personnel;

(b) Contributions of volunteers.-The value of services performed by persons who volunteer 

their services to the Forest Service and who are recruited, trained, and supported by a 

cooperator under a mutual benefit agreement with the Forest Service may be considered an 

in-kind contribution of the cooperator for purposes of cost sharing.

Note 1: Inserts section.

Note 2: The proposed language is consistent with the existing law. The Cooperative Funds and 

Deposits Act of December 12, 1975, Section 1 authorizes the Secretary: ...“to negotiate 

and enter into cooperative agreements with public or private agencies, organizations, 

institutions, or persons”. The Forest Service's proposed language: “Federal, tribal,

State, or local governments, or non-profit entities” provides greater detail to “public or 

private agencies, organizations, institutions or persons." Interpretive Associations are 

included under the existing law and the proposed language as non-profit organizations. 

This proposed language would authorize the Secretary to enter into agreements, in which 

the parties will mutually benefit, with cooperators, including scientific, historical, 

educational, and other societies, organizations, and associations, pertaining to 

interpretive programs, services, materials, and products to enhance visitor awareness 

and knowledge of the Nation's natural resources and cultural heritage. This proposed 

language would also authorize agreements with cooperators for developing, producing, 

publishing, distributing, or selling educational materials and products pertaining to 

National Forest System lands.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Appropriation Language Changes 2-24

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FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Forest and Rangeland Research 3-1

Appropriation Forest and Rangeland Research

(dollars in thousands)

FY 2011 

Enacted

FY 2012 

Enacted

FY 2013 

President's 

Budget

Program 

Changes

Percent of 

Program 

Changes

Forest and Rangeland Research

Annual Appropriations $306,637 $295,300 $292,796 -$2,504 -1%

Forest and Rangeland Research Total 306,637 295,300 292,796 -2,504 -1%

Annual Appropriations FTEs 1,995 1,975 1,952 -23 -1%

Total Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs) 1,995 1,975 1,952 -23 -1%

Forest and Rangeland Research

Wildland Fire & Fuels R&D 23,730 22,597 21,869 -728 -3%

Invasive Species R&D 36,004 35,800 33,346 -2,454 -7%

Recreation R&D 5,209 4,961 4,338 -623 -13%

Resource Management & Use 96,066 94,780 95,133 353 0%

Water, Air & Soil R&D 36,327 36,088 34,986 -1,102 -3%

Wildlife & Fish R&D 30,631 27,664 26,266 -1,398 -5%

Inventory & Monitoring R&D 78,670 73,410 76,858 3,448 5%

FY2009 

Actual

FY 2010 

Actual

FY 2011 

Target

FY 2011 

Actual

FY 2012 

Target

FY 2013 

Target

Forest & Rangeland Research

Customer satisfaction index score for R&D 7 5 7 5 7 5 7 5 7 5 7 5

Number of patent applications filed (3-year 

average) 6 6 6 1 3 8 6

Percent of Nation with accessible FIA data 92% 94% 92% 96% 92% 94%

Quality Science Index - peer-reviewed fire 

science publications per scientist year on a 3-

year rolling average 3.5 3.5 3.5 3.5 3.5 3.5

Output Efficiency Index - total fire science 

products per scientist year on a 3-year rolling 

average 5.0 5.0 5.0 5.0 5.0 5.0

Invasive species tools developed, delivered and 

used on a 5-year rolling average 177 170 163 163 163 163

Cost per invasive species tool on a 5-year 

running average adjusted for budgets $198,000 $208,000 $220,000 $218,000 $220,000 $220,000

Forest and Rangeland Research Overview

The FY 2013 President’s Budget proposes $292,796,000 for Forest and Rangeland Research (Forest 

Service R&D), a program decrease of $2,504,000 from the FY 2012 Enacted. Funding maintains an 

essential level of basic research associated with the Priority Research Areas and Strategic Program Areas. 

The President’s Budget also proposes to move the State and Private Forestry Forest Resources 

Information and Analysis program under the Forest and Rangeland Research appropriation. The request 

provides $66,805,000 for the Forest Inventory and Analysis program, a $2,381,000 decrease in the total 

FIA program funding (when the two programs are combined) from the FY 2012 Enacted.

Forest Service R&D provides scientific information and new technologies to support sustainable 

management of the Nation’s forests and rangelands. These products and services increase the basic 

biological and physical knowledge of the composition, structure, and function of forest, rangeland, and 

aquatic ecosystems. Forest Service R&D is federally mandated to provide new knowledge and 

technologies to foster healthy watersheds, forest products, wildlife protection, outdoor recreation 

opportunities, and other benefits, across all U.S. territories and States (including both Federal and nonFederal lands). 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Forest and Rangeland Research 3-2

The Forest Service R&D structure has two components: Priority Research Areas and Strategic Program 

Areas. 

Priority Research Areas: 

1. Forest Inventory and Analysis: reports on current conditions and recent trends in the area of 

public and private forest land in the U.S.

2. Forest Disturbances: is place-based science on impacts of forest disturbances on wildland fire 

and fuels, invasive species, watershed, resource management and use, wildlife and fish, and 

inventory and monitoring. 

3. Watershed Management and Restoration: develops new approaches to effectively manage water 

resources to address changing social, economic, and environmental conditions.

4. Bioenergy and Biobased Products: provides the science and technology to sustainably provide 

the quantities of wood needed for bioenergy and bioproducts, maintain and enhance forest health 

and productivity, reduce costs, and increase efficiency.

5. Urban Natural Resources Stewardship: provides leading science and new technology that 

informs urban natural resources management and policy and improves environmental health and 

community well-being in urban areas. 

6. Nanotechnology: brings about fundamental changes and significant economic and quality-of-life 

benefits to the American people. Wood-derived nanomaterials can generate new high-value 

products. 

7. Localized Needs Research: research targeted to the geographic regions served by Forest Service 

research stations and field laboratories. 

Strategic Programs Areas: 

Forest Service R&D funds are used for seven long-term Strategic Program Areas: Wildland Fire and 

Fuels; Invasive Species; Recreation; Resource Management and Use; Water, Air, and Soil; Wildlife and 

Fish; and Inventory and Monitoring. The following section displays information for each Strategic 

Program Areas and then provides additional information on the Priority Research Areas.

Strategic Program Areas

Wildland Fire and Fuels Research & Development (R&D)

FY 2013 Program Changes 

The FY 2013 President’s Budget includes $21,869,000 for wildland fire and fuels research, a decrease of 

$728,000 from the FY 2012 Enacted. Funds support development and delivery of knowledge and 

technologies. Research addressing the effects and effectiveness of hazardous fuels treatments, biomass 

use, and other activities intended to ensure health and sustainability of fire-dependent forest and 

rangeland systems continue to be a priority. 

Past Performance

In FY 2011, Forest Service scientists produced, on average, five fire science products per scientist. One of 

these products is a fire growth model that helps users make decisions concerning building and 

landscaping that result in reduced impacts of encroaching wildland fires. Complementing the existing 

recommendations for managing buildings and landscapes to reduce their fire hazards, the fire growth 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Forest and Rangeland Research 3-3

computer model adds managing flexibility to direct attention to lower costs and better aesthetics with a 

further reduction of fire hazards. 

Forest Service scientists in collaboration with the National Centers for Environmental Prediction 

introduced the Climate Forecast System (CFS). The CFS provides spatial and temporal boundary 

conditions for higher-resolution regional climate model prediction for up to seven months. The fire 

danger indices of the Forest Service’s National Fire Danger Rating System (NFDRS) are subsequently 

computed from the predicted weather variables. These indices were predicted at weekly to seasonal time 

scales by utilizing CFS data. Such dynamically forecasted NFDRS indices are used to project the 

probability of fire occurrence and severity in a seasonal time scale.

Forest Service R&D scientists conducted three large fire-fuel-atmosphere interaction (also known as 

Fireflux) experiments measuring fuel loading and consumption, atmospheric turbulence, fluxes of energy, 

water vapor and CO2, and smoke transport at the landscape scale during operational prescribed fires in the 

New Jersey Pine Barrens. Results from the experiments indicate that most of the heat and water vapor 

released from consumed fuel is indeed captured by flux measurements, and that particulate matter 

concentrations returned to below Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standards rapidly after flames 

passed.

Program Overview

The Wildland Fire and Fuels Strategic Program Area provides the knowledge and tools needed to help 

reduce the negative impacts, and enhance the beneficial effects, of fire and fuels on society and the 

environment. The program has five major focus areas: 1) understanding and modeling fundamental fire 

processes, 2) interactions of fire with ecosystems and the environment, 3) social and economic aspects of 

fire, 4) evaluation of integrated management strategies and disturbance interactions at multiple scales, and 

5) application of fire research to address management problems.

The information and tools developed through this program assists managers and policy makers in making 

cost-effective and environmentally-sound fire management decisions that sustain and enhance resource 

values and minimize negative impacts. Tools, knowledge, and science from Wildland Fire and Fuels 

research enables fire managers to develop science-based policy and to practice science-based fire 

management that results in reduced losses to society from fire and improves the resilience and 

sustainability of wildland ecosystems. 

Invasive Species R&D 

FY 2013 Program Changes

The FY 2013 President’s Budget includes $33,346,000 for invasive species research, a decrease of 

$2,454,000 from the FY 2012 Enacted. Research on most thoroughly studied pests and pathogens will be 

reduced, as will research on preventing and mitigating invasive species. This will enable research on 

highest priority invasive species to be maintained. An example of this approach is our work with Sudden 

Oak Death (SOD). The SOD program has matured beyond the fundamental research and development 

phase. To have a responsive invasive species research program, we will continue technology transfer

efforts to managers while shifting our focus to new and emerging pests that need urgent attention.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Forest and Rangeland Research 3-4

Past Performance

In 2011, Forest Service R&D developed and delivered 163 

tools used by customers, such as public and private land 

managers, academia, and local and national policy makers. A 

few select tools highlighted here include: 1) a biocontrol 

organism that serves as a pathogen against cheatgrass, 2) new 

strategies for termite eradication, and 3) an economic 

assessment of strategies to control the spread of tree 

pathogens in residential communities.

Cheatgrass is an invasive plant affecting rangelands across 

the Intermountain West. Even after the successful removal of 

germinated seeds and established plants, un-germinated seeds 

in the soil can carry over across years and hamper the 

establishment of desired native plants. Forest Service R&D 

scientists have identified a promising biocontrol organism 

that can kill dormant cheatgrass seeds and sometimes a high 

proportion of germinable seeds. This pathogen has been 

dubbed “Black Fingers of Death” because of the fingerlike, 

black fruiting bodies that protrude from killed seeds.

Two big killers of residential trees, the oak wilt pathogen in the East and the sudden oak death pathogen 

in the West, cost homeowners millions of dollars annually. Millions of dollars are spent to treat, remove, 

and replant oak trees and millions are lost in property value where ever these diseases have spread. Forest 

Service R&D researchers calculated economic costs and losses to homeowners and communities and 

found that programs to slow the spread of forest diseases such as oak wilt and sudden oak death provide 

important benefits, in terms of reduced expenditures and losses, to both homeowners and communities.

Program Overview

The Invasive Species Strategic Program Area provides the scientific information, methods, and 

technology to reduce, minimize, or eliminate the introduction, establishment, spread, and impact of 

invasive species, and to restore ecosystems affected by invasives. This research focuses on plants, 

animals, fish, insects, diseases, invertebrates, and other species that are not native to a particular 

ecosystem and whose introduction causes or is likely to have adverse economic or environmental 

consequences. Natural resource managers use this Forest Service technology and knowledge to prevent, 

detect, and manage important invasive species and restore/rehabilitate the function and diversity of 

impacted ecosystems. 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Forest and Rangeland Research 3-5

Recreation R&D

FY 2013 Program Changes

The FY 2013 President’s Budget includes $4,338,000 for recreation research, a decrease of $623,000 

from the FY 2012 Enacted. Priority recreation science 

will be maintained in support of resilient ecosystems 

and thriving communities.

Past Performance

In 2011, the Forest Service and its partners released 

version four of their free software, which provides urban 

planners, forest managers, environmental advocates and 

students a tool to measure the ecological and economic 

value of the trees in their neighborhoods and cities. The 

i-Tree suite of tools has helped communities of all sizes

gain funding for urban forest management and programs 

by quantifying the value of their trees and the 

environmental services trees provide. Since the initial 

release of the i-Tree tools in August 2006, more than 

100 communities, non-profit organizations, consultants, 

and schools have used i-Tree to report on individual 

trees, parcels, neighborhoods, cities, and even entire 

States. Forest Service R&D scientists, in collaboration 

with the San Diego Audubon Society, examined the 

social and institutional factors affecting nature–based 

afterschool programs in San Diego. The study used 

interviews and content analysis to study the social and 

institutional factors that were linked to successful 

program outcomes. Results suggest that programs can 

be improved by better coordination with partners with different goals and structures, building consensus 

on need for after school nature programs, and better clarification of benefits and outcomes across settings.

Program Overview

The Recreation Strategic Program Area is directed at understanding and managing outdoor environments, 

activities, and experiences that connect people with the natural world. This research program develops the 

knowledge and tools to support informed recreation and wilderness management decisions that improve 

outdoor recreation opportunities for current and future generations while sustaining healthy ecosystems.

Resource Management and Use R&D

FY 2013 Program Changes

The FY 2013 President’s Budget includes $95,133,000 for resource management and use research, an

increase of $353,000 from the FY 2012 Enacted. Funding will be used to execute the highest priority 

research, including research on bioenergy and biobased products and climate change adaptation. 

Additionally, work will be initiated in selected urban areas aligned with the Vibrant Cities and Urban 

Forests Task Force initiative.

Conservation Education for the Hmong 

American Community

Connecting ethnic minority communities with 

nature and nature-based activities is challenging, 

especially so when conservation professionals and 

educators lack culturally appropriate tools. Forest 

Service R&D researchers produced a conservation 

education DVD in partnership with the Hmong 

community titled “The Wildlife and Wilderness 

Exploration Show.” The DVD puts a modern twist 

on traditional Hmong storytelling, delivering key 

messages in entertaining and educational segments 

covering a wide range of topics.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Forest and Rangeland Research 3-6

Past Performance

In FY 2011, the Forest Service and the Southern Group 

of State Foresters unveiled the Southern Forest Futures 

Project (SFFP), a multi-year research effort that 

projected that the South may lose 23 million acres of 

forests over the next 50 years. The SFFP utilizes stateof-the-art models to forecast the effects of urbanization, 

bioenergy use, climate change, land ownership changes, 

and invasive species over the next half century and 

discusses how those influences may affect water, 

wildlife, fire and other issues to inform policy and 

management choices.

Forest Service R&D published the National Report on 

Sustainable Forests that describes the state of forests in 

the U.S. and the national progress toward the goal of 

sustainable forest management 

(http://www.fs.fed.us/research/sustain/). The report is 

designed to provide information that will improve public 

dialog and decision-making aimed at achieving 

sustainability. The 64 indicators of forest sustainability 

used in the report reflect many of the environmental, 

social, and economic concerns of the American public 

regarding forests, and help establish a quantitative 

baseline for measuring progress. The current edition 

includes 130 pages of detailed information organized by 

indicator, as well as summary analyses and policy 

recommendations. 

Forest Service R&D distributed 77,081 copies of the “Natural Inquirer”, a science education journal for 

middle school science students and educators (with articles adapted from published Forest Service 

research papers) to students and teachers nationwide and worldwide and an additional 10,714 copies of 

“Investi-gators”, a science journal designed for upper elementary school age students. The outcome of 

providing information for science education is evaluated in 3 ways; through EUGENE, an objective 

online tool, which reports a 6% knowledge gain from use of the Natural Inquirer; educator evaluations 

and student review boards, both of which have provided positive comments available on 

www.scienceinvestigator.org . The first “World’s Forest” edition, published in partnership with the 

United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), was translated into six languages, including 

Arabic, Chinese, French, Spanish, Russian, and Mongolian. FAO selects the languages for translation 

based on the partner country’s willingness to provide the translators and cover the expenses. In 

cooperation with the Forest Service, FAO handles all translations, including all translation expenses.

Program Overview

The Resource Management and Use Strategic Program Area provides the scientific and technological 

base to sustainably manage and use forest resources and forest fiber-based products. Traditional (timber) 

and non-traditional (medicinal plants) forest products are major contributors to local economies while the 

management of these forests provide an assortment of ecosystem services including clean air and water. 

Focus areas include plant science, soil science, silviculture, social science, productivity, forest and range 

USDA Released Plans to Promote Agroforestry

On June 6, 2011, the USDA unveiled a plan that will 

help farmers, ranchers and woodland owners 

enhance productivity, profitability and 

environmental stewardship by using agroforestry 

practices. Agroforestry combines agriculture and 

forestry to create integrated and sustainable land-use 

systems that take advantage of the interactive 

benefits from combining trees and shrubs with crops 

and/or livestock. 

The USDA Agroforestry Strategic Framework is the 

USDA guide to advance agroforestry knowledge, 

practices and assistance that lays the roadmap to 

influence the long-term health and sustainability of 

all lands for future generations. 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Forest and Rangeland Research 3-7

ecology and management, forest harvesting and operations, forest and biomass products and utilization, 

economics, urban forestry, climate change and nanotechnology. This program area helps ensure that our 

Nation’s forests remain a sustainable, strategic asset in achieving and enhancing U.S. energy security,

economic opportunity, environmental quality, and global competitiveness.

Water, Air, and Soil R&D

FY 2013 Program Changes

The FY 2013 President’s Budget includes $34,986,000 for water, air, and soil research, a decrease of 

$1,102,000 from the FY 2012 Enacted. The request focuses funds toward high priority watershed 

restoration and science delivery. The agency is committed to producing the science to support high 

quality water resources from resilient ecosystems.

Past Performance

Researchers with the Forest Service’s Eastern Forest Environmental Threat Assessment Center applied 

models developed with partners to measure water supply 

stress in relation to carbon and biodiversity and to 

evaluate ecosystem services to several locations in 

Africa. These tools can be used by conservation agencies 

in any location worldwide to make sound decisions. The 

continual evolution of the model as it is applied 

internationally provides validation and improved 

application within the U.S., and ultimately adds value to 

its use by land managers.

Forest Service R&D scientists developed a unique longterm dataset to track the response and recovery of 

tropical forest herb, shrub, and vine communities to 

multiple hurricanes over 21 years. Analysis found that 

hurricanes had altered non-tree community species 

composition by promoting the dominance of rapidly 

spreading ferns and vines. These findings are significant 

because non-tree species comprise the bulk of forest vascular plant diversity. 

Leaf litter in streams, also known as coarse particulate organic matter (CPOM), is the basic energy source 

of forested headwater streams. Forest Service scientists analyzed 18 years of data from the Bisley 

Experimental Watersheds in Puerto Rico to show that there were various annual peaks in the quantity of 

CPOM exported. The variation in the quantity and quality of exported material depended on traits of 

particular events (storms, hurricanes), season, and the successional status of forests. The quality (chemical 

composition) of exports also varies temporally. Changes in rainfall patterns affects the timing of new leaf 

and flower production and stream discharge, but also increases the seasonal range in quality of organic 

matter exports to reach streams.

New Software Tool Used in Japan to Protect 

Drinking Water after an Earthquake

Forest Service scientists developed a software 

tool, the Incident Command Tool for Protecting 

Drinking Water (ICWater), to predict impacts of 

contaminant releases, including radioactive 

materials, to surface waters. This tool was used by 

the U.S. Department of Defense to assess the 

movement in Japanese rivers of radioactive 

contaminants released from Japan’s earthquakedamaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. 

Results of the analysis were shared with 

emergency managers in Japan for use in assessing 

risk of waterborne radioactivity to the Japanese 

public in the aftermath of the accident. 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Forest and Rangeland Research 3-8

Program Overview

The Water, Air, and Soil Strategic Program Area enables the sustainable management of these essential 

resources by providing information on how to clean air and drinking water, protect lives and property 

from wildfire and smoke, and improve our ability to adapt to climate variability and change. The program 

area studies ecosystem services with a high level of integration between water, air, and soil research. It 

pays particular attention to the effects of climate variability and change on water budgets.

Wildlife and Fish R&D

FY 2013 Program Changes

The FY 2013 President’s Budget includes $26,266,000 for wildlife and fish research, a decrease of 

$1,398,000 from the FY 2012 Enacted. The request will reduce studies on traditional game and fish 

species with a refocusing of funds for long term monitoring protocols and models for wildlife and aquatic 

habitat to assess risk from environmental change.

Past Performance

Forest Service scientists developed a suite of geographic 

information system (GIS) models that identify places 

where highways bisect areas important for wildlife 

movement. By considering factors like land cover, 

elevation, slope, and human population density, the 

models identify places where wildlife crossing structures 

should be considered to promote highway safety and 

help maintain well-connected, healthy wildlife 

populations. 

Broad-scale analyses of climate impacts on freshwater 

species have focused exclusively on temperature shifts, 

but Forest Service R&D scientists have gone a step 

further and included additional drivers such as flow 

regime and biotic interactions. The assessment of future 

changes in habitat of four interacting species of trout in 

the western U.S. projected a mean 47 percent decline in 

total suitable habitat over the next 70 years due to 

increased temperatures, encroachment from non-native 

species, and warmer, rainier winters. This predicted 

decline could have large socioeconomic consequences 

and affect the hundred million dollar recreational trout 

fishing industry.

Program Overview

The Wildlife and Fish Strategic Program Area provides knowledge and tools to sustain the health, 

diversity, and productivity of aquatic and terrestrial animals on the Nation’s forests and grasslands. The 

research scientists in this program area conduct basic and applied research on terrestrial and aquatic 

species and ecosystems to both inform land management and address emerging threats, such as climate 

change, invasive species, and habitat fragmentation. Wildlife and fish research supports restoration and 

Protecting Bat Communities 

from White-nose Syndrome

Forest Service scientists are at the forefront of efforts 

to address the emerging fungal disease, White-nose 

Syndrome (WNS), which threatens bat populations 

in the U.S. and Canada. Forest Service scientists 

have identified biological and chemical control 

mechanisms of the fungus. In addition to studying 

the disease, Forest Service scientists have modeled 

the impact of WNS on the endangered Indiana Bat 

population to assist management and conservation 

strategies to prevent extinction of this species. 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Forest and Rangeland Research 3-9

conservation actions across large landscapes and watersheds; management of wildlife and fish under 

future climate scenarios; innovative protocols for inventory and monitoring of fish and wildlife 

populations and habitats; and strategies to meet the growing demand for water, energy, and other forest‐

and grassland-based commodities while ensuring the sustainability and diversity of terrestrial and aquatic 

species and ecosystems. We emphasize science delivery to a diverse group of partners, including Federal, 

State, and Tribal resource agencies, universities, nongovernmental organizations, and international 

cooperators.

Inventory and Monitoring R&D

FY 2013 Program Changes

Inventory and Monitoring is comprised of Resource Data and Analysis and Forest Inventory and Analysis 

(FIA). The FY 2013 President’s Budget includes $10,053,000 for Resource Data and Analysis, an

increase of $912,000 from the FY 2012 Enacted.

Historically, the FIA program has been funded from Forest Service R&D and the State and Private 

Forestry Forest Resources Information and Analysis program. In FY 2013, the State and Private Forestry 

portion ($4,917,000 in the FY 2012 Enacted) will no longer be funded and Forest Service R&D will fund 

the total amount at $66,805,000.

This funding is a $2,381,000 overall decrease in the total FIA funding (when calculated as a net 

difference from the combination of the two programs) from the FY 2012 Enacted. This funding level will 

enable the delivery the FIA program in all 50 States, except in interior Alaska, but at a slower rate than in 

FY 2012. The overall program reduction will delay re-measurement of 1,600 plots (8 percent of annual 

re-measurements) and delay the next round of State reports by one year. There is a one year lag time in 

collecting and loading data in database. It is anticipated that partners’ contributions will provide 

additional support for the FIA program.

Past Performance

In FY 2011, Forest Service R&D implemented the Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) annual forest 

sampling in all 50 states providing accessible FIA data from 96 percent of the Nation. In excess of 42,000 

field plots were measured that represent 14 percent of the FIA national plot system. Current data defined 

as being less than two years old is publically available for 46 states and coastal Alaska on line at 

http://www.fia.fs.fed.us

FIA plot data provide invaluable information about the distribution and health of our Nation’s forests to 

scientists and the public alike. Forest Service scientists found that winter satellite imagery with the 

vegetation change tracker (VCT) could generate more reliable estimates of forest lands in the western 

Great Lakes area. These VCT data were consistent with those from FIA plots. The VCT is an automated 

forest mapping algorithm that exploits the Landsat archive to produce comprehensive maps of forest 

changes and is well-suited for filling in data gaps between FIA plots. 

Forest Service scientists and collaborators modeled live, aboveground tree biomass by using FIA field 

data and applied the models to more than 20 years of Landsat satellite imagery to derive trajectories of 

aboveground forest biomass for study locations across the continental U.S. Maps of biomass dynamics 

were integrated with maps depicting the location and timing of forest disturbance and regrowth to assess 

the biomass consequences of these processes over large areas and long timeframes. Policymakers and 

managers now have information to use in understanding how forest biomass has changed over the past 20 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Forest and Rangeland Research 3-10

years to inform their decisions about how forest management affects biomass change today and in the 

future.

Program Overview

The Inventory and Monitoring Strategic Program Area provides the resource data, analysis, and tools 

needed to assess current status and trends of forests, management options and impacts, and threats from 

fire, insects, disease, and other natural processes, enhancing the use and value of our Nation’s forests and 

grasslands. Assessing current and potential effects of climate change depends on monitoring forest 

ecosystems at greatest risk to rapid change. Focus areas include the development and use of integrated 

interdisciplinary science, technologies, and remote sensing to increase the timeliness and spatial 

resolution of incidence of forest fragmentation, insect outbreaks, diseases, fires, and extreme weather 

events.

Information and data from our monitoring efforts are used as the basis to assess sustainability, to make 

important business decisions, to evaluate wildlife habitat, and for land management decisions. National, 

State, and local policy makers, universities, businesses, tribal governments, national forests and other 

natural resource agencies, interest groups—and many others—depend on our models, information and 

data for timely, scientifically credible assessments about our forests. An important component of 

monitoring is gaining a clear understanding of what has happened in the past and what is likely in the 

future. Specific examples include combining FIA field data and disturbance maps from time-series 

Landsat imagery to produce spatial and temporal disturbance trends. Maps produced through the North 

American Forest Dynamics Project methodologies offer the opportunity to communicate the timing, area, 

and intensity of fires, harvests, and other disturbances including the incidence of insect and disease 

outbreaks. This provides a clearer understanding of past and future trends in forest dynamics across the 

country.

Forest Service Research and Development Program Overview

Forest Service R&D provides scientific information and new technologies to support sustainable 

management of the Nation’s forests and rangelands. These products and services increase the basic 

biological and physical knowledge of the composition, structure, and function of forest, rangeland, and 

aquatic ecosystems. Forest Service R&D is federally mandated to provide new knowledge and 

technologies to foster healthy watersheds, forest products, wildlife protection, outdoor recreation 

opportunities, and other benefits, across all U.S. territories and States (including both Federal and nonFederal lands). Research is conducted at five research stations, the Forest Products Laboratory, and the 

International Institute of Tropical Forestry located in Puerto Rico. There are approximately 500 scientists 

at 67 sites located throughout the U.S. In addition, Forest Service R&D maintains 81 experimental forests 

and ranges across the Nation, which serves as sites for most of the agency’s long-term research. 

The Forest Service R&D structure has two components: Priority Research Areas and Strategic Program 

Areas. The Priority Research Areas address urgent needs in seven areas: Forest Disturbances, Forest 

Inventory and Analysis, Watershed Management and Restoration, Bioenergy and Biobased Products, 

Urban Natural Resources Stewardship, Nanotechnology, and Localized Needs Research (region-specific 

needs). The Strategic Program Areas (SPAs) are the long-term programs from which Priority Research 

Areas are funded; the seven SPAs are: Wildland Fire and Fuels; Invasive Species; Recreation; Resource 

Management and Use; Water, Air, and Soil; Wildlife and Fish; and Inventory and Monitoring. The 

following table illustrates the cross-disciplinary nature of most priority research areas and the balance of 

funding between national and localized research.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Forest and Rangeland Research 3-11

Comparison between Priority Research Areas and Strategic Program Areas

Priority 

Research 

Areas

Strategic Program Areas

(dollars in thousands)

Fire Invasives Recreation Resource 

Management 

and Use

Water, 

Air, and 

Soil

Wildlife and 

Fish

Inventory 

and 

Monitoring

Total

Forest 

Disturbances $ 301 $ 204 $ 0 $16,984 $2,072 $ 3,247 $ 5,549 $28,357

Forest Inventory 

and Analysis 0 0 0 0 0 0 66,805 66,805

Watershed Mgt 

and Restoration 1,897 1,233 0 3,058 10,000 6,164 948 23,300

Bioenergy and 

Biobased 

Products

250 100 0 12,000 250 0 350 12,950

Urban Natural 

Resource 

Stewardship

474 0 2,155 4,000 1,423 0 948 9,000

Nanotechnology 0 0 0 5,000 0 0 0 5,000

Localized Needs 

Research 18,947 31,809 2,183 54,091 21,241 16,855 2,258 147,384

Total $21,869 $33,346 $ 4,338 $ 95,133 $ 34,986 $ 26,266 $76,858 $292,796

Priority Research Areas

Forest Disturbances - $28,357,000

This research area provides scientific information, and tools that can be used by land managers and 

policymakers to address impacts of forest disturbances to forests and rangelands. The program strategy 

focuses on predicting impacts on ecosystems and providing the research that will lead to enhanced 

ecosystem sustainability (adaptation); increased carbon sequestration, reduced emissions, and product 

substitution, including biofuels and wood products (mitigation); developing decision support tools; and 

establishing collaborations that will enhance the delivery of science needed to manage forest and 

grassland ecosystems. The information is used to develop management strategies and provide decision 

support tools that aid managers and policy makers in fostering resilience to current and future forest 

disturbances across forest, range and urban ecosystems. By maintaining healthy and productive forests 

and grasslands, the cost of preventing and mitigating damage from wildfire, invasive pests, and other 

threats can be substantially reduced. 

Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) - $66,805,000

FIA reports on current conditions and recent trends in the area of public and private forest land in the 

U.S., providing specific information on past, current, and projected tree numbers by species; the size and 

health of trees; tree growth, mortality, and removals by harvest; losses of forests due to disturbances, such 

as hurricanes and wildland fires; wood production and utilization by various firms and their products; and 

forest landownership. The program supplies the Nation’s land managers and private forest landowners 

with the data needed to make sound investment decisions in forest management activities. FIA data 

enables the natural resource community to understand the magnitude of changes in forest conditions and 

trends and to make projections of future conditions—information vital to the long-term health of forests 

and the multiple uses made from forests. 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Forest and Rangeland Research 3-12

Watershed Management and Restoration - $23,300,000

Adequate supplies of clean water are essential to human health and economic growth. Population growth 

and forest disturbances, however, are stressing surface and ground water resources. New approaches are 

developed to effectively manage water resources given the changing social, economic, and environmental 

conditions. Forest Service R&D delivers:

Best management practices for watershed management and restoration in forest, urban, and 

agricultural settings, which provide abundant, safe drinking water.

Methods for assessing changes in watershed condition as a result of changing demographics and 

development pressures.

Strategies for managing both surface and groundwater resources under changing forest conditions 

and urbanization.

Projections of national and regional water demand and supply as affected by forest disturbances, 

population growth, agriculture production, energy generation, and economic development.

Improved techniques for restoring watersheds, which will improve overall human and ecosystem 

health.

Bioenergy and Biobased Products - $12,950,000

Our Nation’s forests are a sustainable, strategic asset in achieving and enhancing U.S. energy security, 

economic opportunity, environmental quality, and global competitiveness. A sustainable renewable 

bioenergy and biobased products sector is a growing source of green jobs in the U.S. economy that 

contributes to energy security and greenhouse gas emissions reduction. Woody biomass is a critical 

renewable resource that has the potential to supply a significant portion of U.S. liquid transportation fuels, 

chemicals, and substitutes for fossil fuel-intensive products. Converting this material into energy and 

biobased products is dependent on a robust and productive research and development program. Critical 

areas of research include: sustainable and economical forest biomass management and production 

systems; competitive biofuels and biopower conversion technologies and bioproducts that reduce 

greenhouse gas emissions and fossil fuel use; and information and tools for decision-making and policy 

analysis. 

Urban Natural Resources Stewardship - $9,000,000

The 21st century marks the first time in U.S. history where the majority of America’s population – more 

than 80 percent - lives in urban and urbanizing areas. People directly benefit from the natural resources in 

an urban setting. Forest Service R&D provides leading science and new technology that informs urban 

natural resources management and policy and improves environmental health and community well-being 

in urban areas. R&D places emphasis on helping to create more livable and desirable urban areas and 

improve urban ecosystem services like cleaner city air and water. Critical areas of research include: 

urban forest structure and effects modeling, urban ecosystem health, urban watershed conservation and 

rehabilitation, ecosystem services assessment tools, and green infrastructure strategies and ‘best 

management’ practices. Intensive place-based study of urban ecosystems (a network of Urban Long-Term 

Research Areas) focuses on coordinated research application and education to enhance urban 

sustainability across the country. Investments result in improved community economic and 

environmental sustainability through implementation of green infrastructure and jobs.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Forest and Rangeland Research 3-13

Nanotechnology - $5,000,000

Nanotechnology has the potential to bring about fundamental changes and significant economic and 

quality-of-life benefits to the American people. Renewable wood-derived nanomaterials have a very 

broad range of application in traditional forest products and nontraditional new applications. For example, 

the addition of wood-based nanomaterials will cause building materials and paper products to be stronger 

and lighter weight. New application areas for wood-based nanomaterials include plastics, composites, 

coatings, paint, defense applications, automobiles, aircraft, electronics, biomedical devices, medical 

implants, food, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. Forest Service R&D conducts nanotechnology research in 

three major areas: basic research in nanotechnology, development of forest-derived nanomaterials and 

application of nanotechnology in forestry, forest products and non-conventional areas.

Localized Needs Research - $147,384,000

In addition to the research investments in national Priority Research Areas, Forest Service R&D invests in 

research targeted to the geographic regions served by Forest Service research stations and field 

laboratories. Localized needs research is aligned with national strategic goals, but is particularly 

responsive to the social, economic, and ecological issues important to each region. Scientists from 

multiple research stations collaborate across regions to develop and share research findings and develop 

tools that solve common problems. Localized needs research by Forest Service R&D provides the 

foundation of basic and applied science needed to advance research in each of the Strategic Program 

Areas previously reviewed and described in this document. 

Forest Service R&D develops and shares basic science, while developing applications specific to regional 

needs. This approach of developing a core foundation of basic science that drives the development of 

regionally specific knowledge, assessment methods, and management tools plays out at Forest Service 

R&D research labs throughout the Nation, addressing critical issues concerning wildlife, fish, water, air, 

forests and rangelands, invasive species, wood products utilization, recreation, economics, social science, 

and other needs critical to sustaining America’s natural resources and public uses.

Allocation and Integration

Forest Service R&D priorities are based on the agency’s mission, direction from Congress, and Executive 

Branch priorities. The base R&D program is established using input from the field. The research stations, 

Forest Products Laboratory, and International Institute of Tropical Forestry prioritize research in response 

to local and regional needs. Field requests are reviewed, coordinated with critical needs identified at the 

national level, and then merged into a national research program. Funds are distributed to support the 

seven Strategic Program Areas. R&D is integrated into agency and Departmental programs through joint 

strategic planning, Budget Performance Integration, and various boards and agreements that focus 

research toward integrated outcomes.

For the FIA program, historically funds have been allocated in equal proportion to eastern States and 

western States, as forest acres are evenly split between these two broad regions. However, partner 

contributions to eastern States are 15 percent of the total funding of eastern States, whereas partner 

funding is only 3 percent of total funding in western States, with the remainder coming from appropriated 

funds. For further detail and trends see http://www.fia.fs.fed.us/library/bus-org-documents/default.asp. 

The program also supports forest inventory activities with costs shared by States. Allocations to States are 

based upon the cost-effectiveness of past performance of State FIA implementation. State contributions 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Forest and Rangeland Research 3-14

represent approximately 12 percent of the entire program funds. In order to make efficient use of 

available resources, FIA contracts some services when partners can provide them at a lower cost. 

Twenty percent of the FIA program supports National Forest Systems (NFS) including strategic inventory 

across 191 million acres in support of Forest Planning with information such as volume, biomass, growth, 

removals, mortality, forest carbon storage, forest health and fire fuel loads. Additional information on 

NFS collaboration may be found at http://www.fia.fs.fed.us/slides/NFS/FIA_NFS%20partnership.pdf.

Partnerships

Forest Service R&D partners include Federal and State agencies, universities, industry, nongovernmental 

organizations, tribal groups, and foreign government research cooperators. One of the most important 

functions of Forest Service Research is the distribution of information to forest managers and users 

implementing land management projects. The agency provides valuable technology transfer to our 

research partners, land management practitioners, State agencies, urban planners, private forest owners, 

private organizations, horticultural organizations, agricultural interests, as well as forest practitioners 

internal to the Forest Service. Seeking and forging strategic partnerships is a critical activity of Forest 

Service R&D. 

The FIA program is managed as a partnership, led by Forest Service R&D in cooperation with the 

National Forest System, State & Private Forestry, and the National Association of State Foresters. FIA 

customers include National Forests and Grasslands, State forestry agencies, Federal and State policy 

makers; corporations and consultants; researchers; environmental organizations; land managers; media; 

and anyone interested in reliable, current forest data. Partners contribute funds to leverage the FIA 

program commensurate with their individual needs. Partner funding is encouraged but not required to 

receive the base federal program. In FY 2011, partners contributed over $9.1 million to FIA to shorten 

measurement cycles or otherwise enhance the FIA program. This is $1.6 million more than the amount 

contributed in FY 2010. Participating organizations in these states include State Forestry Agencies, 

universities, NGOs and other partners. Partner contributions are primarily used to lower inventory cycles 

or cost share research. Nearly 34% of FIA’s annual work is accomplished in this manner. Not all states 

participate each year, but over the last 10 years all states have contributed to the FIA program.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Forest and Rangeland Research 3-15

Land Forest

State area area

 Alabama 32,481 22,815 134,906 53,405

 Alaska, Coast 39,041 13,718 907,560

 Alaska, Int. 326,000 113,151

 Arizona 72,732 18,711 8,000

 Arkansas 33,328 18,720 508,065 107,016

 California 99,824 32,946 53,857 636,691

 Colorado 66,387 22,966 1,137,320 287,450

 Connecticut 3,101 1,687 500

 Delaware 1,251 341 20,489

 District of Columbia 110,000

 Florida 34,520 17,323 419,528 163,930

 Georgia 37,068 24,785 577,499 180,519

 Hawaii 4,111 1,748 140,000

 Idaho 52,960 21,390

 Illinois 35,580 4,861 204,867 23,359

 Indiana 22,957 4,775 274,940 224,449

 Iowa 35,760 3,026 100,170 17,645

 Kansas 52,367 2,279 111,250 34,938

 Kentucky 25,428 12,411 319,554 289,625

 Louisiana 27,883 14,412

 Maine 19,753 17,665 746,534 454,918

 Maryland 6,295 2,454 35,439 15,788

 Massachusetts 5,016 3,015 161,388 34,185

 Michigan 36,359 20,003 133,250 66,850

 Minnesota 50,955 17,291 1,015,205 659,446

 Mississippi 30,025 19,572 506,734 132,656

 Missouri 44,095 15,494 123,000 92,092

 Montana 93,157 25,591 376,307 304,378

 Nebraska 49,201 1,520 66,726 5,853

 Nevada 70,276 11,169 933,932 107,086

 New Hampshire 5,740 4,826 41,560 28,712

 New Jersey 4,748 1,985 41,535 9,974

 New Mexico 77,674 16,687 1,857,844

 New York 30,223 18,964 19,890

 North Carolina 31,180 18,596 690,207 31,850

 North Dakota 44,156 772 30,160 7,200

 Ohio 26,210 8,021 11,345

 Oklahoma 43,955 12,612 173,413 41,993

 Oregon 61,442 30,056 408,284 71,000

 Pennsylvania 28,685 16,764 39,486 189,805

 Rhode Island 668 352 3,069

 South Carolina 19,272 13,101 296,479 80,948

 South Dakota 48,574 1,883 62,000 64,652

 Tennessee 26,381 13,955 431,774 134,087

 Texas 167,626 63,300 1,540,561 524,300

 Utah 52,587 18,277 539,402 102,941

 Vermont 5,920 4,580 8,600

 Virginia 25,343 15,868 693,828 157,939

 Washington 42,612 22,379

 West Virginia 15,415 12,081 49,300

 Wisconsin 34,761 16,872 40,000 1,690,147

 Wyoming 62,147 11,448 158,818

 Other ** 165,000

Totals 2,263,230 809,220 14,348,537 57,268,463 9,108,863

** Includes funding to Palau and Puerto Rico

* Allocated proportionately to stations to implement a balanced annualized inventory in 

all states.

 Thousand acres 

Land, forest area, FIA grants by state, other Federal appropriated funds and partner 

contributions, FY 2011

Partner 

funds

 ------------------ Dollars -------------------------

Other Federal 

appropriated 

funds *

Federal FIA 

grants
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Forest and Rangeland Research 3-16

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FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

State and Private Forestry 4-1

Appropriation State and Private Forestry

(dollars in thousands)

FY 2011 

Enacted

FY 2012 

Enacted

FY 2013 

President's 

Budget

Program 

Changes

Percent of 

Program 

Changes

State and Private Forestry

Annual Appropriations $277,596 $252,926 $250,730 -$2,196 -1%

State and Private Forestry Total 277,596 252,926 250,730 -2,196 -1%

Annual Appropriation FTEs 592 492 557 65 13%

Total Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs) 592 492 557 65 13%

State and Private Forestry

Landscape Scale Restoration 0 0 18,000 18,000 0%

Forest Health Management - Federal Lands 56,737 47,425 63,000 15,575 33%

Forest Health Management - Cooperative Lands 48,821 39,999 49,000 9,001 23%

State Fire Assistance 32,358 30,488 0 -30,488 -100%

Volunteer Fire Assistance 6,680 6,669 0 -6,669 -100%

Forest Stewardship 32,548 28,814 24,778 -4,036 -14%

Forest Legacy Program 52,894 53,303 60,000 6,697 13%

Community Forest and Open Space Conservation 1,000 1,997 4,000 2,003 100%

Urban and Community Forestry 32,040 31,327 28,040 -3,287 -10%

Economic Action Programs 0 0 0 0 0%

Forest Resources Information and Analysis 5,026 4,917 0 -4,917 -100%

International Forestry 9,492 7,987 3,912 -4,075 -51%

State and Private Forestry Overview

The FY 2013 President’s Budget proposes $250,730,000 for State and Private Forestry (S&PF), a 

program decrease of $2,196,000 from the FY 2012 Enacted. Funds provide technical and financial 

assistance to landowners and resource managers. These programs help sustain the Nation’s urban and 

rural forests and protect communities and the environment from wildland fires, insects, disease, and 

invasive plants. 

More than 50 percent our Nation’s forests - over 420 million acres - are privately owned. These forests 

supply almost 30 percent of the surface drinking water to cities and rural communities and over 90 

percent of our domestically-produced forest products (Report to Congress on Cooperative Forestry 

Assistance Act and Other USDA Programs That Benefit Private Forests, 2011). S&PF programs help 

protect these forests and provide support to keep working forests intact. This Federal investment 

leverages the capacity of State Foresters and their partners to manage State and private lands and produce 

ecological, social and economic benefits for the American people. For example, almost 11 million acres 

are now being managed more sustainably because of landowner planning; have been treated to protect 

against wildfires and insects and diseases; or have been protected from development since 2008 as a result 

of State and Private program investments. In addition, Forest Service programs assisted over two million 

landowners through education programs or other related services during this same timeframe. 

Partnerships are critical in implementing and delivering S&PF programs. Through a coordinated effort in 

management, protection, conservation education, and resource use, S&PF programs help facilitate sound 

stewardship of lands across all ownerships on a landscape scale, while maintaining the flexibility for 

individual forest landowners to pursue their objectives. S&PF programs help Americans reconnect to the 

outdoors and are engines of job creation in rural communities. In FY 2011, S&PF spending also 

contributed in excess of 6,000 direct, indirect, and induced jobs*to the national economy. S&PF programs 

are key components of the President’s America’s Great Outdoors Initiative to conserve important 

 

*

This figure is forecasted using the IMPLAN Model. Jobs are average annual full, part-time, and seasonal.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

State and Private Forestry 4-2

landscapes and reconnect Americans to the outdoors. Along with the National Forest System, Forest and 

Rangeland Research, the Department of the Interior, and State and local partners, S&PF programs 

manage the impacts of wildland fires on communities and the environment. 

Landscape Scale Restoration 

During FY 2013, the S&PF Redesign effort will be in its sixth year 

implementing a strategy to focus and prioritize funds and resources to 

better shape and influence forest land use on a scale, and in a way, that 

optimizes public benefits from trees and forests for current and future 

generations. “Redesigned” S&PF integrates a mix of competitive and 

formula funding. Competitive projects are administered under a model 

of granting funds to result in a targeted, positive impact on the 

landscape while leveraging State capacity with strategic Federal dollars. 

Since FY 2008, S&PF has provided approximately $20 million in 

funding for competetive projects focused on issues and landscapes of 

national importance. In FY 2013 the Redesign effort will continue with 

the implementation of a new landscape scale restoration Budget Line 

Item (BLI), which will institutionalize the process that has been used to competitively fund Redesign 

projects. This BLI will focus on “All Lands” projects that accomplish meaningful change in high-priority 

areas. 

The 2008 Farm Bill tasked all States and Territories with crafting assessments of the forests within their 

boundaries and developing strategies to address threats and improve forest health. The resulting Statewide 

Forest Resource Assessments and Strategies, or Forest Action Plans (http://www.forestactionplans.org/), 

provide an analysis of forest conditions and trends and delineate priority forest landscape areas. These 

Forest Action Plans are an integral part of “Redesigned” S&PF and represent the first-ever “strategic 

plan” for the Nation’s forests. The Forest Action Plans focus on “All Lands” (State, private, tribal, and 

Federal) and strategically assess the greatest need, highest value, or strongest innovation potential. Forest 

Action Plans are a new path to effectively address contemporary conservation issues across the country in 

the urban-to-rural spectrum. 

Cooperation and coordination across jurisdictional boundaries is needed to deal with the complex issues 

revealed in the Forest Action Plans, most of which can only be meaningfully addressed at a landscape 

level and working through local communities. State forestry organizations and the Forest Service have a 

long history of working together on important forest management issues and Forest Action Plans are 

helping us identify priority landscapes on which to focus critical conservation actions. These Plans will 

enable the Forest Service and State partners to better leverage stakeholder partnerships and heighten 

public awareness of the value and importance of the Nation’s public and private forests. By focusing on 

priority outcomes that address landscape-scale issues, the Forest Action Plans guide investments to 

conserve, protect, and enhance our forests. 

As required by Congressional Direction (House Report 111-180, p. 127), the following table displays the 

allocation of funding to S&PF Redesign in FY 2011. These funds supported 72 projects, many of which 

were regional or multi-State in nature. They included restoring forest health and wildlife habitat, like in 

Idaho’s Craig Mountain Wildlife Management Area where Idaho Fish and Game partnered with the 

Bureau of Land Management, the Idaho Department of Lands, the Idaho Department of Agriculture, 

multiple counties, and private landowners to thin dense areas to increase tree health, reduce susceptibility 

to disease and fire and complement adjacent landowner harvests to achieve mutually beneficial forest 

health, wildfire habitat and landscape improvement goals. This area was identified as a priority in the 

S&PF Program Leverages

$21 Million in FY 2011

In FY 2011, S&PF competitively 

allocated $19.8 million to State 

Foresters, supporting 72 projects 

in 47 States. These allocations 

enabled the Forest Service to 

leverage over $21 million in 

partner dollars and in-kind 

contributions. 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

State and Private Forestry 4-3

State’s Forest Action Plan. Other projects supported by this funding included developing management 

tools for private forest landowners, linking sustainable forestry with water quality, invasive species early 

detection and containment, watershed restoration projects, and creating new urban forestry management 

strategies to link landscapes with people. 

S&PF Redesign and Landscape Scale Restoration (dollars in thousands)

Approp. Budget Line Item

FY 2011 

Enacted*

FY 2012 

Enacted** Change

FY 2013 

Pres Bud

S&PF Landscape Scale Restoration $18,000

S&PF FHM Cooperative Lands 5,489 $0

WFM FHM Cooperative Lands 690 $0

S&PF State Fire Assistance 1,022 $0

WFM State Fire Assistance*** 2,491 $0

S&PF Forest Stewardship 6,191 $0

S&PF Urban and Community Forestry 3,960 $0

Total $19,843 $19,196 ($1,196) $18,000

*In FY 2011, S&PF competitively allocated $19.8 million; remaining funds were used for administrative expenses and 

projects of national significance

**The specific FY 2012 funding amounts needed from each program will be determined after the competitive process.

***The Wildland Fire Management State Fire Assistance Funds, traditionally part of the competitive Redesign project 

funding, will not be shifted, but will continue to be implemented as in the past within Redesign.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

State and Private Forestry 4-4

Budget Line Item Landscape Scale Restoration

(dollars in thousands)

FY 2011 

Enacted

FY 2012 

Enacted

FY 2013 

President's 

Budget

Program 

Changes

Percent of 

Program 

Changes

Landscape Scale Restoration

Annual Appropriations 0 0 $18,000 $18,000 0%

Landscape Scale Restoration Total 0 0 18,000 18,000 0%

Annual Appropriations FTEs 0 0 0 0 0%

Total Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs) 0 0 0 0 0%

FY 2009 

Actual

FY 2010 

Actual

FY 2011 

Target

FY 2011 

Actual

FY 2012 

Target

FY 2013 

Target

Landscape Scale Restoration

Total value of resources (expressed as a ratio) 

leveraged through partnerships with states and 

other partners N/A N/A N/A 1.1 1.1 1.2

FY 2013 Program Changes

The FY 2013 President’s Budget proposes $18,000,000 to establish the Landscape Scale Restoration 

Budget Line Item (BLI) that formalizes the State and Private Forestry (S&PF) Redesign process. The 

request builds on the successful Redesign process by allowing States to continue pursuing innovative, 

landscape-scale projects across Forest Health Management, State Fire Assistance, Forest Stewardship, 

and Urban & Community Forestry programs without the limitation of a specific mix of program funding.

The Wildland Fire Management State Fire Assistance Funds, traditionally part of the Redesign project 

funding, will continue to support the Landscape Scale Restoration competitive process. While these funds 

will not be transferred between appropriations, approximately $2.5 million from State Fire Assistance will 

support these projects.

Program Overview

Since FY 2008, S&PF has provided approximately $20 million in funding annually for competitive 

projects, targeting issues and landscapes of national importance, by using 15 percent of the funding from 

selected S&PF programs. This allocation experiment was called “S&PF Redesign,” an effort that was 

designed to focus and prioritize resources to better shape and influence forest land use on a scale, and in a 

way, that optimizes public benefits from trees and forests. This formalizes a process already in place and 

establishes a specific BLI, rather than combining funds from existing BLIs. This increased focus on “All 

Lands” projects brings particular attention to implementation of the priorities identified in the States’ 

Forest Action Plans, formally called State-wide Assessments. This approach will allow States to 

implement the best projects without the limitation of a predetermined mix of programmatic funding for 

Redesign projects, achieving improved outcomes that support State Forest Action Plans.

The Redesign process has yielded numerous successful projects such as a multi-State effort to prepare for 

the arrival of the emerald ash borer via the Great Plains Tree and Forest Invasives Initiative in Kansas, 

Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota; focusing on the recovery of one of the most biologically 

diverse ecosystems on the continent - longleaf pine - in Alabama and Georgia; and protecting Colorado’s 

Front Range watersheds from wildfire, insects such as bark beetles, and other hazards through the 

development of a collaborative watershed management strategy. Redesign projects have leveraged 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

State and Private Forestry 4-5

millions of dollars since 2008. A focused effort on collecting and recording partner dollar and in-kind 

contributions has demonstrated that these projects are matched on a more than one-to-one basis each year. 

That partnership success is expected to continue with this new BLI (see measure above). The Redesign 

effort been successful because forest management needs and forest health threats cross boundary lines and 

require integrated solutions that cross program lines, and the mix and configuration of programs and 

services that can deliver the greatest public value varies among States. 

This BLI will continue to identify the greatest threats to forest sustainability and accomplish meaningful 

change in priority landscapes. As a competitive grant program, it will provide flexible opportunities to 

fund innovative projects across program boundaries and across landscape jurisdictions to address 

priorities and needs consistent with the States’ Forest Action Plans. Projects will be focused on restoring 

healthy and resilient forests and communities in the priority areas that States have already identified. This 

will offer them the opportunity to develop targeted, creative projects that most effectively leverage the 

Federal dollar. Having a dedicated BLI will better enable us to track performance with these funds. The 

traditional performance measures associated with the other S&PF BLIs will still be tracked. However, this 

pool of funding will have additional performance measures. Through improved reporting, these projects 

will also serve as a springboard for developing methods to measure improved outcomes on the ground in 

these priority areas - like enhanced water quality and quantity; improved air quality; priority wildlife 

habitat areas protected; and energy conservation and carbon sequestration benefits resulting from these 

projects. Existing systems such as the Stewardship Mapping and Reporting Tool and the Spatial Analysis 

Project, used for other State and Private Forestry programs, will serve as models for reporting 

accomplishments in this program. This program will continue to help ensure the ability of the Nation’s 

forests to sustain and enrich the well-being of all citizens and communities. 

Allocation and Integration

Funds will be allocated on a competitive basis, guided by the priorities outlined in the States’ Forest 

Action Plans. Projects will be focused in priority areas also identified in the Forest Action Plans. The 

projects will be required to address nationally and regionally significant issues or landscapes and will 

focus on conserving working forests, protecting forests from harm, and enhancing public benefits from 

trees and forests. Because there are different needs and focus areas in different parts of the country, 

appropriate regionally-specific evaluation criteria will be developed, as in the past with Redesign projects. 

Projects will involve diverse collaboration and partnerships in planning and implementation and will 

coordinate with complementary state and federal programs when possible. 

Partnerships 

The development and implementation of these projects will be coordinated through close collaboration 

with State and Territorial forestry agency partners. State and Private Forestry works directly with state 

forestry agencies to ensure that forest landowners have the best technical, educational, and financial 

assistance available to help them achieve their objectives in an environmentally beneficial way. This 

federal investment leverages the capacity of state foresters and their partners to manage state and private 

lands and produce ecological, social and economic benefits.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

State and Private Forestry 4-6

Forest Health Management

(dollars in thousands)

FY 2011 

Enacted

FY 2012 

Enacted

FY 2013 

President's 

Budget

Program 

Changes

Percent of 

Program 

Changes

Forest Health Management

Annual Appropriations $105,558 $87,424 $112,000 $24,576 28%

Forest Health Management Total 105,558 87,424 112,000 24,576 28%

Annual Appropriation FTEs 367 301 422 121 40%

Total Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs) 367 301 422 121 40%

Forest Health Management

Forest Health Management - Federal Lands 56,737 47,425 63,000 15,575 33%

Forest Health Management - Cooperative Lands 48,821 39,999 49,000 9,001 23%

Forest Health Management Overview 

The FY 2013 President’s Budget proposes $112,000,000 for Forest Health Management (FHM) a budget 

line item increase of $24,576, 000 but a net program increase of $265,000 from the FY 2012 Enacted. The 

FY 2013 President’s Budget proposes consolidating FHM under State and Private Forestry. The net 

increase is calculated from the combined budget line items as shown in the table below. The combination 

of funding into a single budget line item improves program management and performance in addition to 

reducing administrative complexity.

FHM Federal Lands Consolidated Budget Line Items (dollars in thousands)

Approp. Budget Line Item

FY 2011 

Enacted

FY 2012 

Enacted Change

FY 2013 

Pres Bud

S&PF FHM Federal Lands $56,737 $47,425 $15,575 $63,000

WFM FHM Federal Lands 20,710 15,958 (15,958) 0

S&PF FHM Cooperative Lands 48,821 39,999 9,001 49,000

WFM FHM Cooperative Lands 11,405 8,353 (8,353) 0

Total $137,673 $111,735 $265 $112,000 

The FHM program provides insect, disease, and invasive plant survey and monitoring information on 

forest health conditions on Federal and non-Federal (Cooperative) lands and provides technical and 

financial assistance to prevent, suppress, and control outbreaks threatening forest resources and watershed 

conditions. FHM utilizes science, active land management, and technology transfer expertise to restore 

and sustain forest landscapes, across urban, private, State, Tribal, and Federal forests, and creates private 

sector jobs because of the expertise required to carry out this work. 

Federal Lands: activities on Federal lands are carried out in cooperation with the National Forest System, 

other Federal agencies and Tribal governments. These activities optimize efficiency in executing a 

coordinated Federal program to prevent, detect, monitor, evaluate, and suppress insects and disease, and 

restore Federal forestlands. 

Cooperative Lands: activities on cooperative lands are carried out in cooperation with States and 

territories. These activities optimize efficiency in executing a coordinated program to maintain and restore 

forestlands damaged by insects, disease, and invasive plants on lands owned by States, local 

governments, private organizations, and individual land owners.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

State and Private Forestry 4-7

The following funding chart is based on current information about insect and disease outbreaks. The 

actual distribution is likely to change once additional survey information is collected.

Background

Recently completed Forest Action Plans have, in many cases, identified forest health as a key State 

priority. For example, most States in the South identified the southern pine beetle as a key threat in their 

area. The most frequently mentioned invasive plant in the Southern States’ Forest Action Plans was 

cogongrass, which easily spreads and thrives in disturbed landscapes making it hard to eradicate or slow 

down. These Forest Action Plans are being used to help guide protection and restoration priorities at the 

national and regional levels. 

This work helps to restore forest landscapes, and the communities that depend on them, and makes them 

more resilient and healthy. Healthy forests which maintain their tree cover conserve more water, provide 

key wildlife habitat, and store carbon. With technical and financial assistance, FHM helps ensure that 

forests remain healthy and resilient by minimizing impacts of native and nonnative invasive insects and 

diseases, and invasive plants. In addition, FHM works on facilitating assisted tree migration efforts and 

gene conservation that involve reforestation and afforestation in those areas where species have been 

identified as vulnerable to effects of changing resource conditions. 

The FHM program will continue to treat prioritized areas, based on risk, to reduce the potential for new 

outbreaks; to protect these areas from damaging insects and diseases; and to reduce the risks of undesired 

mortality from wildfire. Allocations are based upon level of risk as identified in the National Insect and 

Disease Risk Map (NIDRM), current pest locations and abundances, and other factors including costeffectiveness and probability of successfully implementing a treatment. Forest health treatments are 

integrated with other Forest Service activities, such as hazardous fuels, forest management and watershed 

restoration and maintenance activities. 

The Forest Service also continues to commit resources to address public safety concerns and forest health 

needs arising from the millions of acres of dead and dying trees from bark beetle infestations in the West. 

In FY 2013 the Forest Service will continue management actions to reduce forest susceptibility to beetle 

outbreaks and protect high value trees through multiple fund sources, including FHM. In coordination 

with partners and stakeholders, the Forest Service will direct funds to high-priority areas that have been 

experiencing tree mortality as a result of bark beetle infestations to more aggressively focus our response 

to promote human safety, forest recovery and resiliency. See the Special Exhibit on Bark Beetles for more 

detailed information.

Current and Future Conditions 

Current conditions of mortality and defoliation are monitored every year by extensive nationally 

standardized aerial and ground surveys conducted on over 400 million acres of forestlands. Surveys are 

conducted in conjunction with State agencies and the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service 

(APHIS). These surveys are an integral part of the FHM program because, in the long run, rapid and early 

detection of forest pests saves more forests and money. Surveys provide key information to forest 

managers, helping to best target treatments to address the growing bark beetle infestation in the west; 

monitor the rate of spread and activity of the gypsy moth in the east; and tracking the activity level of the 

southern pine beetle in the south. Current conditions of mortality caused by other pests are not wellrepresented in aerial detection surveys, so FHM uses other reporting mechanisms, like ground surveys, to 

obtain information on current depictions of damage caused by the emerald ash borer, the hemlock woolly 

adelgid, the Asian longhorned beetle, and sudden oak death. 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

State and Private Forestry 4-8

The NIDRM identifies acres at risk from more than 50 different pests, and highlights acres where 

mortality from these agents is projected to exceed 25 percent over the next 15 years. NIDRM will be 

revised and updated in FY 2012, providing the most accurate assessment of expected future conditions of 

forest insect and disease activity. 

Current and Emerging Threats

To assist in the assessment and evaluation of the areas needing restoration, field units will continue to 

document the occurrence of damage caused by forest insects, tree diseases, and invasive plants; changes 

in the population dynamics of host preferences of pests; and other changes in pest activity caused by 

climatic and other changing conditions. FHM continues to collect important genetic material that is at 

risk, including five-needle pine species, such as whitebark pine, foxtail pine, limber pine, and bristlecone 

pine. FHM also is implementing a new effort, Monitoring on the Margins, whereby tree populations are 

tracked in areas first likely to experience environmental stress to monitor the interacting effects of a 

changing climate and forest pests. FHM also works collaboratively with other agencies, especially with 

APHIS, to combat several damaging invasive pests such as emerald ash borer, Asian longhorned beetle, 

sudden oak death, gold-spotted oak borer, hemlock woolly adelgid, thousand cankers disease, and 

invasive plants on non-Federal lands. Most of the partnership work includes mapping surveys, control 

actions, methods development (including biocontrol development), and education and outreach with the 

public.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

State and Private Forestry 4-9

Funding for Selected Insects, Diseases and Invasive Plants by Fiscal Year

(dollars in thousands)

R&D (Research Appropriation)

S&PF (S&PF and WFM Appropriations)

FY 2011

Enacted

FY 2012

Estimate

FY 2013

Pres Bud

Asian Longhorned Beetle (Total) $197 $197 $197

 R&D 147 147 147

 S&PF 50 50 50

Douglas-fir Tussock Moth - S&PF $34 $34 $34

Emerald Ash Borer (Total) $3,695 $3,518 $3,718

 R&D 1,395 1,418 1,418

 S&PF 2,300 2,100 2,300

Gold Spotted Oak Borer, Thousand Canker Diseases $932 $1,005 900

Disease, Laurel Wilt (Total)

 R&D 425 425 400

 S&PF 507 580 500

Gypsy Moth (Total) $12,206 $9,656 $9,960

 R&D 1,237 1,191 1, 191

 S&PF 10,969 8,465 8,769

 Slow-the-spread 10,500 8,000 8,000

 Suppression 276 275 429

 Eradication 193 190 340

Hemlock Woolly Adelgid (Total) $5,938 $4,153 $4,253

 R&D 2,250 2,253 2,253

 S&PF 3,688 1900 2,000

Invasive Plants (Total) $8,806 $4,706 $4,806

 R&D 3,306 3,306 3,306

 S&PF 5,500 1,400 1,500

Oak Wilt (Total) $725 $625 $625

 R&D 125 125 125

 S&PF 600 500 500

Port Orford Cedar Root Disease - S&PF $189 $189 $189

Sirex Woodwasp (Total) $270 $620 $620

 R&D 220 220 220

 S&PF 50 400 400

Southern Pine Beetle (Total) $12,046 $5,046 $4,846

 R&D 2,046 2,046 1,846

 S&PF 10,000 3,000 3,000

Subterranean Termites - R&D (Total) $890 $885 $880

Sudden Oak Death (Total) $2,575 $1,600 $1,525

 R&D 775 250 75

 S&PF 1,800 1,350 1,450
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

State and Private Forestry 4-10

R&D (Research Appropriation)

S&PF (S&PF and WFM Appropriations)

FY 2011

Enacted

FY 2012

Estimate

FY 2013

Pres Bud

Western Bark Beetles (Total) $13,092 $5,507 $5,507

 R&D 1,507 1,507 1,507

 S&PF 11,585 4,000 4,000

Whitebark Pine Pests - (Total) $274 $274 $274

R&D 24 24 24

S&PF 250 250 250

White Pine Blister Rust (Total) $834 $634 $634

 R&D 284 284 284

 S&PF 550 350 350

Sub-Totals

 R&D $14,631 $14,081 $13,676

 S&PF $48,072 $24,568 $25,292

TOTAL $62,703 $38,649 $38,968
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

State and Private Forestry 4-11

Budget Line Item Forest Health Management –

Federal Lands

(dollars in thousands)

FY 2011 

Enacted

FY 2012 

Enacted

FY 2013 

President's 

Budget

Program 

Changes

Percent of 

Program 

Changes

Forest Health Management - Federal Lands

Annual Appropriations $56,737 $47,425 $63,000 $15,575 33%

Forest Health Management - Federal Lands Total 56,737 47,425 63,000 15,575 33%

Annual Appropriations FTEs 322 262 358 96 37%

Total Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs) 322 262 358 96 37%

FY2009 

Actual

FY 2010 

Actual

FY 2011 

Target

FY 2011 

Actual

FY 2012 

Target

FY 2013 

Target

Forest Health Management - Federal Lands

Federal acres treated - Invasives 164,495 138,293 168,408 157,507 136,515 155,598

Federal acres treated - Native pests 171,220 260,260 172,416 258,454 156,692 151,409

FY 2013 Program Changes

The FY 2013 President’s Budget proposes $63,000,000 for Forest Health Management (FHM) Federal 

Lands, a budget line item increase of $15,575,000 but a net program decrease of $383,000 from the FY 

2012 Enacted. The President’s Budget proposes consolidating the FHM Federal Lands into one budget 

line item under State and Private Forestry because this combination improves program management and 

performance and reduces administrative complexity. The net amount was calculated using the combined 

totals from FY 2012 as illustrated in the table below. 

FHM Federal Lands Consolidated Budget Line Items (dollars in thousands)

Approp. Budget Line Item

FY 2011 

Enacted

FY 2012 

Enacted Change

FY 2013 

Pres Bud

S&PF FHM Federal Lands $56,737 $47,425 $15,575 $63,000

WFM FHM Federal Lands 20,710 15,958 (15,958) 0

Total $77,447 $63,383 ($383) $63,000

Funds are used to conduct forest insect and disease surveys on over 400 million acres of forestlands; 

conduct forest insect and disease prevention, suppression, restoration, and eradication projects; provide 

technical assistance; and to monitor forest health on all Federal lands including those of the Departments

of Defense and the Interior, and the Army Corps of Engineers. Addressing these threats demonstrates an 

“All Lands” approach to supporting the resilience and health of the forests and the communities that 

depend on them. 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

State and Private Forestry 4-12

The request includes funding to meet the highest priority prevention and suppression needs for:

Western bark beetles

Emerald ash borer

Asian longhorned beetle

Sudden oak death

Oak wilt, root diseases

Hemlock woolly adelgid

Thousand cankers disease

Southern pine beetle

Funding also supports efforts such as slowing the spread, eradication of new outbreaks, and suppression 

of gypsy moth on forests and grasslands managed by the Forest Service, other Federal agencies, and 

Tribal governments. 

In FY 2011, the Forest Service committed additional funds to address public safety concerns and forest 

health needs arising from the millions of acres of dead and dying trees from bark beetle infestations in the 

West. In FY 2013, the Forest Service will continue to fund management actions to reduce forest 

susceptibility to beetle outbreaks and protect high value trees. In coordination with partners and 

stakeholders, the Forest Service directs funds to the areas that have been experiencing tree mortality as a 

result of bark beetle infestations to more aggressively focus our response. See the Special Exhibit on Bark 

Beetles for more detailed information.

Past Performance

The Forest Service partnered with other Federal agencies in FY 2011 to treat invasive species on 157,507 

acres using funds from the State and Private Forestry appropriation and 5,714 acres from the Wildland 

Fire Management appropriation. This equals 163,221 acres, as illustrated in the following table. 

FHM Federal Lands Consolidated Invasives Performance FY 2011 through FY 2013

Approp. Performance Measure

FY 2011 

Actual

FY 2012 

Target

FY 2013 

Target

S&PF Federal acres treated - Invasives 157,507 136,515 155,598

WFM Federal acres treated under NFP -

Invasives

5,714 3,035 0

Total 163,221 139,550 155,598

For invasive species, priority treatments focused on slowing the advance of the gypsy moth infestation 

along a management zone stretching from North Carolina to Wisconsin. The program also continued to 

protect critical forest ecosystems from established non-native insects and diseases, such as Port Orfordcedar root disease, white pine blister rust, and hemlock woolly adelgid. The program addressed the threats 

of relatively new invasive pests such as the emerald ash borer, sudden oak death, thousand cankers 

disease, and gold-spotted oak borer. A decrease in invasive species acres treated is due to fewer integrated 

acres accomplished, primarily in treating invasive plants. Integrated accomplishments are a result of 

projects designed for other purposes and funded from other Budget Line Items like wildlife management, 

vegetation and watershed management, and hazardous fuels reduction, which also contribute to 

accomplishments in forest health. In FY 2011 estimates for the outcomes funded by these other Budget 

Line Items were higher than actual accomplishments, largely because costs per acre for treatment were 

higher than in previous years.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

State and Private Forestry 4-13

The Forest Service also treated, with partners, native pest species on 258,454 acres in FY 2011, through 

the State and Private Forestry appropriation. Through funds provided by the Wildland Fire Management 

appropriation, the Forest Service treated native pests on an additional 28,688 acres. Treatment areas for 

native pests, such as the southern pine and western bark beetles, focused on high priority large-scale 

watersheds. This equals a total of 287,142 acres, as illustrated in the following table. 

FHM Federal Lands Consolidated Native Pests Performance FY 2011 through FY 2013

Approp. Performance Measure

FY 2011 

Actual

FY 2012 

Target

FY 2013 

Target

S&PF Federal acres treated - Native Pests 258,454 156,692 151,409

WFM Federal acres treated under NFP - Native 

Pests 

28,688 20,482 0

Total 287,142 177,174 151,409

Targets are based on the average unit costs over the past five years, current year funding, and the relative 

risk to forests. The program allocates funds based on pests posing the greatest risks, e.g. mountain pine 

beetle, southern pine beetle, gypsy moth and invasives. In FY 2011, the significant increase in acres 

accomplished over the planned target for native species is attributed to changes in pest conditions, and 

treatment methods, lower unit costs, and an increase in integrated acres - those acres protected during 

projects for which forest health was not the primary resource management objective, such as hazardous 

fuel treatment projects. Additionally, planned targets were calculated based on projected funding that was 

lower than the final budget. As a result, more funds were allocated to high priority pests yielding more 

acres treated. 

Program Description

Program Overview

The FHM Federal Lands program monitors and assesses both 

short-term and long-term forest health conditions across the 

Nation. Funds support three objectives: conduct pest surveys 

and provide technical assistance; conduct prevention, 

suppression, restoration, and eradication projects; and monitor 

the health of the Nation’s forests. These investments provide 

for prevention, detection, monitoring, evaluation, and 

suppression of forest insects and diseases on forestlands 

managed by the Forest Service, other Federal agencies, and 

Tribal governments. Pests that are managed include white pine 

blister rust, sudden oak death, thousand cankers disease, 

hemlock woolly adelgid, and Asian longhorned beetle. For 

invasive plants, the FHM program primarily provides technical 

assistance to Federal land managers, as the National Forest 

System (NFS) has the management lead on NFS lands. Since 

pests do not obey boundaries, FHM uses an “All Lands” 

approach involving all partners in the development of 

integrated management strategies to address each important 

pest.

Whitebark Pine 

and White Pine Blister Rust

High elevation whitebark and limber pines are 

threatened by the on-going outbreak of the 

mountain pine beetle and infection caused by 

an invasive fungus known as white pine blister 

rust. FHM has supported use of beetle antiaggregation pheromones and pruning of rustinfested trees to protect these ecologically 

valuable species. In addition, FHM is actively 

supporting gene conservation of at-risk pines 

in partnership with the Whitebark Pine 

Ecosystem Restoration Foundation. This effort 

has resulted in collecting seed from over 1500 

high elevation five-needle pine trees stored for 

long-term gene conservation.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

State and Private Forestry 4-14

Treating priority areas makes the most efficient use of Federal dollars. Treatments protect priority areas 

from damaging insects and disease, reduce the risks of mortality from wildland fire, and prevent future 

outbreaks by increasing the resilience of treated areas. 

FHM also leads the Slow-the-Spread (STS) program for the gypsy moth, which continues to slow the 

progression of this invasive insect by 60 percent as it moves across the eastern US. Forest Service 

research indicates that without the STS program, over 50 million acres of oak hardwood forests would be 

infested with gypsy moth. STS is an integrated program of monitoring, trapping and treating the gypsy 

moth so that populations do not spread rapidly. 

Projects also include gene conservation efforts to conserve at risk tree species that we project will be 

negatively impacted by the effects of a changing climate, insects, and diseases.

The program continues to fund the Eastern Forest Environmental Threat Assessment Center, a Forest 

Service facility supported by S&PF, NFS, and Forest Service R&D in Asheville, North Carolina, to 

provide information on how multiple threats interact with pests, focusing on the effects of a changing 

climate. The Environmental Threat Assessment Centers are interdisciplinary resources that work to 

determine, provide information, and assist in the identification and response to emerging multiple threats 

to forest health. Center researchers work with other scientists nationally as well as with a variety of 

Federal, State, and local government agencies, universities, and non-governmental partners to accomplish 

this work. This partnership illustrates the collaborative nature necessary in determining and addressing the 

current and future challenges to forest health. See the Special Exhibit on Research & Development Threat 

Assessment Centers for more detailed information.

A brief synopsis of pest management strategies of the highest priority pests follows:

Western bark beetle is causing severe mortality across many Western States, increasing risks for 

catastrophic fire, and health and safety of the people who use America’s forests. FHM resources 

are focusing on prevention and suppression, especially in high value sites such as campgrounds in 

coordination with NFS.

Emerald ash borer (EAB) has killed millions of ash trees in 15 States. The Animal and Plant 

Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is the lead agency in EAB survey, quarantine and eradication. 

The Forest Service provided technical assistance to States and made significant advances in EAB 

management and detection. In 2011, the Forest Service worked with APHIS to develop a national 

EAB trapping model and is currently developing a national EAB management strategy. Other 

staff and partners are working on developing biological control agents to mitigate the effects of 

this pest.

Asian longhorned beetle (ALB) poses a serious threat to several species of trees found in both 

urban and rural forests. APHIS is the lead agency for ALB detection, eradication and quarantine. 

The Forest Service provided technical and scientific support to APHIS and States to help manage 

ALB. 

Sudden oak death threatens oak woodlands, urban forests, and horticultural industries. FHP 

continues to work with multi-agency partners, APHIS, the National Association of State 

Foresters, National Plant Board, and California Oak Mortality Task Force to better detect, 

contain, and manage this disease in forests where it is established. FHM funding continues to 

support the Oregon Sudden oak death containment effort in Curry County, and most recently in 

northern Humboldt County in northern California.

Oak wilt is the single most important disease effecting oaks in the eastern half of the U.S. FHP 

continues to support suppression efforts in the Great Lakes and Texas, including root graft 

disruption, spore tree removal, and threat-to-the-line tactics. 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

State and Private Forestry 4-15

Hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA) remains a significant threat to the health of hemlock forests in 

the eastern U.S., and the Forest Service has implemented a HWA strategic plan to address this 

non-native insect. The multi-agency integrated effort focuses on management of high value 

hemlocks (using biological and chemical controls) and continued research and methods 

development to better manage hemlocks across their range.

Thousand cankers disease (TCD) is a recently described insect/disease complex causing black 

walnut mortality. A team of Federal and State agencies, universities and conservation groups was 

assembled to develop a National Response Framework for TCD. This strategy provides land 

managers with current information to better manage TCD. The Forest Service and APHIS have 

developed a reliable trap to detect the insect vector that will be available commercially in 2012. 

FHM continues to organize and assist with TCD surveys working across multiple agencies, to 

develop guidelines and a survey database. 

Southern pine beetle (SPB), which has historically been the most destructive forest pest in the 

South, continues to remain at low levels across the region. Since 2004, the Forest Service has 

implemented a SPB Prevention program which supports forest management activities to reduce 

SPB risk. In 2011, this program passed the one million acres treated milestone.

Allocation and Integration

Annual priorities for mitigating the risk of future and current outbreaks are based, in large part, on the 

findings from National Insect and Disease Risk Map as well as knowledge of current pest conditions and 

locations. Prevention and suppression programs for major pests such as the gypsy moth, western pine 

beetle, and southern pine beetle are directly related to the relative risk of these pests, areas currently 

experiencing pest outbreaks, and the availability of cost-effective treatment technologies. Some forest 

health pests, such as southern pine beetle, can be more easily treated than others, such as beech bark 

disease, for which there are few scientific tools available. 

Some of the techniques used to determine optimal areas for treatment include overlaying national map 

layers using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) for insect and disease, fire, watershed condition, and 

Wildland Urban Interface. The spatial placement and sequencing of treatments on National Forest System 

lands are planned and coordinated with other Forest Service vegetation management program areas, such 

as hazardous fuels reduction and forest management through the “Sustainable Landscape Management” 

Board of Directors, a group of Directors from State and Private Forestry (FHM, Fire and Aviation 

Management), Research and Development (Forest Management Sciences), and National Forest System 

(Forest Management, Range Management, and Watershed, Fish, Wildlife, Air, and Rare Plants). This 

coordination optimizes on-the-ground prevention and treatment, and improves the overall health of 

forestlands across landscapes and ownerships. 

Partnerships 

This program funds the detection, evaluation, and suppression of forest insect and disease pests on lands 

managed by all other Federal agencies and Tribal governments. Where proposed treatment locations are 

adjacent to other Federal lands or non-Federal lands, treatment scheduling is coordinated with non-Forest 

Service partners to optimize improvements to forest health across landownership boundaries. 

The Slow-the-Spread Gypsy Moth program works seamlessly across all landowners in a collaborative, 

“All Lands” approach, and partnership. This program has significantly reduced the spread of gypsy moth 

by over 60 percent. We work closely with all of the State Departments of Agriculture or State Foresters in 

10 STS States, from Georgia to Wisconsin.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

State and Private Forestry 4-16

The Forest Service works with APHIS and other partners to combat these important invasive pests and 

has systems established to survey, monitor and respond to these invaders, as well as help communities 

restore degraded ecosystems.

Other Federal agencies, such as the Department of the Interior and the Department of Defense, submit 

their project requests to the Forest Service regional or national office and the projects are evaluated in a 

competitive process. Coordination meetings occur frequently between the other agencies and the Forest 

Service to ensure the funds are used wisely.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

State and Private Forestry 4-17

Budget Line Item Forest Health Management –

Cooperative Lands

(dollars in thousands)

FY 2011 

Enacted

FY 2012 

Enacted

FY 2013 

President's 

Budget

Program 

Changes

Percent of 

Program 

Changes

Forest Health Management - Cooperative Lands

Annual Appropriations $48,821 $39,999 $49,000 $9,001 23%

Forest Health Management - Cooperative Lands Total 48,821 39,999 49,000 9,001 23%

Annual Appropriations FTEs 45 39 64 25 64%

Total Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs) 45 39 64 25 64%

FY2009 

Actual

FY 2010 

Actual

FY 2011 

Target

FY 2011 

Actual

FY 2012 

Target

FY 2013 

Target

Forest Health Management - Cooperative Lands

Cooperative lands acres treated - Invasives 690,807 533,508 429,978 475,150 358,707 431,581

Cooperative lands acres treated - Native pests 105,952 152,119 71,041 151,564 32,966 40,542

FY 2013 Program Changes

The FY 2013 President’s Budget proposes $49,000,000 for Forest Health Management (FHM) 

Cooperative Lands, a budget line item increase of $9,001,000 but a net program increase of $648,000 

from the FY 2012 Enacted. The President’s Budget proposes consolidating the FHM Cooperative Lands 

into one budget line item under State and Private Forestry (S&PF) because this combination improves 

program management and performance and reduces administrative complexity. The net amount was 

calculated using the combined totals from the FY 2012 Enacted as illustrated in the table below. 

FHM Cooperative Lands Consolidated Budget Line Items (dollars in thousands)

Approp. Budget Line Item

FY 2011 

Enacted

FY 2012 

Enacted Change

FY 2013 

Pres Bud

S&PF FHM Cooperative Lands $48,821 $39,999 $9,001 $49,000

WFM FHM Cooperative Lands 11,405 8,353 (8,353) 0

Total $60,226 $48,352 $648 $49,000 

Funds will provide technical and financial assistance to State Forestry Agencies and State Departments of 

Agriculture to conduct forest insect and disease surveys; to provide technical assistance; to conduct 

prevention, suppression, restoration, and eradication projects for forest insects, diseases, and invasive 

plants; and to monitor forest health on State and private lands. In FY 2013, the Forest Service will reduce 

monitoring and treatments in some efforts such as the Slow-the-Spread program for gypsy moth and for 

work on sudden oak death, southern pine beetle, and hemlock woolly adelgid.

The program funds the highest priority prevention and suppression needs associated with western bark 

beetles, hemlock woolly adelgid, oak wilt and southern pine beetle; and fund slowing the spread, 

eradication of new outbreaks, and suppression of gypsy moth on non-Federal lands. These pests are 

mentioned in Forest Action Plans as high-priority pests. Other invasive pests also receive high priority as 

they can affect and spread to all forestlands. These pests include hemlock woolly adelgid, emerald ash 

borer, Asian longhorned beetle, sudden oak death, gold-spotted oak borer and thousand cankers disease. 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

State and Private Forestry 4-18

We work with our partners to educate the public, map the pests with new surveys and develop methods to 

manage and mitigate these pests. 

In FY 2011, the Forest Service committed additional funds to address public safety concerns and forest 

health needs arising from the millions of acres of dead and dying trees from bark beetle infestations in the 

West. In FY 2013, the Forest Service will continue to fund management actions to reduce forest 

susceptibility to beetle outbreaks and protect high value trees. In coordination with partners and 

stakeholders, the Forest Service directs funds to the areas that have been experiencing tree mortality as a 

result of bark beetle infestations to more aggressively focus our response. See the Special Exhibit on Bark 

Beetles for more detailed information.

Past Performance

The Forest Service partnered with other Federal agencies in FY 2011 to treat invasive species on 475,150 

acres of State and private lands using funds from the State and Private Forestry appropriation. Invasive 

species were also treated on 131,681 acres using funds provided by the Wildland Fire Management 

appropriation. This equals 606,831 acres, as illustrated in the following table.

FHM Cooperative Lands Consolidated Invasives Performance FY 2011 through FY 2013

Approp. Performance Measure

FY 2011 

Actual

FY 2012 

Target

FY 2013 

Target

S&PF Cooperative lands acres treated -

Invasives

475,150 358,707 431,581

WFM Acres treated on cooperative lands under 

NFP - Invasives

131,681 35,392 0

Total 606,831 394,099 431,581

Priority treatments for invasive pests focused on slowing the advancing front of gypsy moth on State and 

private lands from North Carolina to Wisconsin. Priority treatments also focused on invasive plants. The 

program continued to protect critical forest ecosystems from established insects and diseases, such as Port 

Orford-cedar root disease, white pine blister rust, hemlock woolly adelgid, and invasive plants. These 

funds also continued to mitigate the threats of relatively new invasive pests such as the emerald ash borer, 

sudden oak death, and thousand cankers disease. 

In FY 2011, the Forest Service treated native pest species on 151,564 acres, through the State and Private 

Forestry appropriation, and 7,607 acres through the Wildland Fire Management appropriation. This 

equals 159,171 acres, as illustrated in the following table. Treatment areas for native pests, such as the 

southern pine beetle and western bark beetles, focused on the highest priority large-scale watersheds.

FHM Cooperative Lands Consolidated Native Pests Performance FY 2011 through FY 2013

Approp. Performance Measure

FY 2011 

Actual

FY 2012 

Target

FY 2013 

Target

S&PF Cooperative lands acres treated - Native 

pests

151,564 32,966 40,542

WFM Acres treated on cooperative lands under 

NFP - Native pests

7,607 3,447 0

Total 159,171 36,413 40,542
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

State and Private Forestry 4-19

Targets are based on the average unit costs over the past 

five years, current year funding, and the risk to forests. 

The program allocates based on pests posing the greatest 

risks, e.g. mountain pine beetle, southern pine beetle, 

and gypsy moth. In FY 2011, the increase in acres 

accomplished over the target for native and non-native 

species is attributed to changes in pest conditions, 

treatment methods, and lower unit costs. Additionally, 

planned targets were calculated based on projected 

funding that was lower than the final budget. As a result, 

more funds were allocated to high priority pests yielding 

more acres treated. 

Program Description

Program Overview

The FHM Cooperative Lands program provides technical and financial assistance to States and territories 

to monitor, assess, and mitigate forest health threats on non-Federal lands across the Nation. Treatments 

protect priority acres from damaging insects, diseases, and invasive plants; reduce the risks of mortality 

from wildland fire; protect highly valued sites; and prevent future outbreaks by increasing the resilience 

of the vegetation in treated areas. Funds support three objectives: conducting pest surveys and providing 

technical assistance; conducting prevention, suppression, restoration, and eradication projects; and 

monitoring the health of the Nation’s forests.

The Forest Service uses risk maps to select insect and disease project locations for prevention work and 

aerial and ground survey techniques to identify suppression treatments. The recently developed Forest 

Action Plans will help guide FHM activities, as forest health was often identified as a key element 

requiring attention. Treatment placements incorporate local priorities including priority landscapes such 

as: Wildland Urban Interface areas, municipal water supply areas, outdoor recreational sites, and 

administrative sites. The program also funds the use of Early Detection and Rapid Response efforts to 

find invasive insects and diseases early, thereby reducing future costs to address pest outbreaks. 

Allocation and Integration

Annual priorities are based, in large part, on the findings from NIDRM and current surveys of pest 

conditions and priorities in the Forest Action Plans. Some pests, such as southern pine beetle, are more 

easily mitigated through management than others, such as oak decline. The Forest Service is working to 

align more closely identified risk with allocation, using an all-lands approach.

The program works with the FHM Federal Lands program to identify priority lands and manage forest 

insects and diseases across the landscape. In FY 2011 almost $41 million in grant dollars for prevention 

and suppression were leveraged on a 1:1 basis with States and other non-Federal partners. 

Partnerships 

Partnerships leverage Federal financial assistance with non-Federal resources to implement programs and 

projects that protect forest resources and improve the health of the Nation’s forests.

Southern Pine Beetle

In 2011, the Southern Pine Beetle (SPB) Prevention 

Program passed the milestone of one million acres 

treated since 2004. This cost-share program supports 

forest management activities, such as precommercial thinning, to reduce SPB risk. This 

program has exceeded treated acre targets and has a 

15-year target (since 2004) of 1.5 million acres.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

State and Private Forestry 4-20

Program activities are also coordinated closely with the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service 

(APHIS) and State Departments of Agriculture to detect and monitor introductions of new invasive 

species such as the emerald ash borer, Asian longhorned beetle, sudden oak death, and thousand cankers 

disease. 

The Slow-the-Spread Gypsy Moth program is a strong partnership with State Forestry and Agriculture 

agencies, which is successfully slowing the spread of gypsy moth by over 60 percent.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

State and Private Forestry 4-21

Cooperative Fire Protection

(dollars in thousands)

FY 2011 

Enacted

FY 2012 

Enacted

FY 2013 

President's 

Budget

Program 

Changes

Percent of 

Program 

Changes

Cooperative Fire Protection

Annual Appropriations $39,038 $37,157 0 -$37,157 -100%

Cooperative Fire Protection Total 39,038 37,157 0 -37,157 -100%

Annual Appropriation FTEs 49 47 0 -47 -100%

Total Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs) 49 47 0 -47 -100%

Cooperative Fire Protection

State Fire Assistance 32,358 30,488 0 -30,488 -100%

Volunteer Fire Assistance 6,680 6,669 0 -6,669 -100%

Cooperative Fire Protection Overview 

The FY 2013 President’s Budget proposes consolidating Cooperative Fire Protection under the Wildland

Fire Management appropriation. Information about these programs is located in the Wildland Fire 

Management Chapter, State and Volunteer Fire Assistance sections. 

Cooperative Fire Protection provides technical and financial assistance to States and local fire agencies to 

promote efficient wildland fire protection on Federal, State, and private lands. Program activities are 

focused on mitigating hazards, reducing wildland fire risk to homes in the Wildland Urban Interface, and 

reducing Federal wildland fire suppression costs. Cooperative Fire Protection consists of two activities: 

State Fire Assistance and Volunteer Fire Assistance. 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

State and Private Forestry 4-22

Budget Line Item State Fire Assistance

(dollars in thousands)

FY 2011 

Enacted

FY 2012 

Enacted

FY 2013 

President's 

Budget

Program 

Changes

Percent of 

Program 

Changes

State Fire Assistance

Annual Appropriations $32,358 $30,488 0 -$30,488 -100%

State Fire Assistance Total 32,358 30,488 0 -30,488 -100%

Annual Appropriations FTEs 49 47 0 -47 -100%

Total Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs) 49 47 0 -47 -100%

FY 2009 

Actual

FY 2010 

Actual

FY 2011 

Target

FY 2011 

Actual

FY 2012 

Target

FY 2013 

Target

State Fire Assistance

Communities assisted (number) 6,896 6,153 1,197 3,843 4,900 0

FY 2013 Program Changes

The FY 2013 President’s Budget proposes consolidating the State Fire Assistance program into one 

budget line item in the Wildland Fire Management appropriation. Information about this program is 

within the Wildland Fire Management Chapter, State Fire Assistance Section.

Past Performance

For more information on Performance Metrics, as illustrated in the table above, see the Wildland Fire 

Management Chapter.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

State and Private Forestry 4-23

Budget Line Item Volunteer Fire Assistance

(dollars in thousands)

FY 2011 

Enacted

FY 2012 

Enacted

FY 2013 

President's 

Budget

Program 

Changes

Percent of 

Program 

Changes

Volunteer Fire Assistance

Annual Appropriations $6,680 $6,669 0 -$6,669 -100%

Volunteer Fire Assistance Total 6,680 6,669 0 -6,669 -100%

Annual Appropriations FTEs 0 0 0 0 0%

Total Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs) 0 0 0 0 0%

FY 2009 

Actual

FY 2010 

Actual

FY 2011 

Target

FY 2011 

Actual

FY 2012 

Target

FY 2013 

Target

Volunteer Fire Assistance

Volunteer fire departments assisted (number) 4,255 5,294 2,600 4,177 3,900 0

FY 2013 Program Changes

The FY 2013 President’s Budget proposes consolidating the Volunteer Fire Assistance program into one 

budget line item in the Wildland Fire Management appropriation. Information about this program is in the 

Wildland Fire Management Chapter, Volunteer Fire Assistance Section.

Past Performance

For more information on Performance Metrics, as illustrated in the table above, see the Wildland Fire 

Management Chapter.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

State and Private Forestry 4-24

Cooperative Forestry

(dollars in thousands)

FY 2011 

Enacted

FY 2012 

Enacted

FY 2013 

President's 

Budget

Program 

Changes

Percent of 

Program 

Changes

Cooperative Forestry

Annual Appropriations $123,508 $120,358 $116,818 -$3,540 -3%

Cooperative Forestry Total 123,508 120,358 116,818 -3,540 -3%

Annual Appropriation FTEs 147 120 118 -2 -2%

Total Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs) 147 120 118 -2 -2%

Cooperative Forestry

Forest Stewardship 32,548 28,814 24,778 -4,036 -14%

Forest Legacy Program 52,894 53,303 60,000 6,697 13%

Community Forest and Open Space Conservation 1,000 1,997 4,000 2,003 100%

Urban and Community Forestry 32,040 31,327 28,040 -3,287 -10%

Economic Action Programs 0 0 0 0 0%

Forest Resources Information and Analysis 5,026 4,917 0 -4,917 -100%

Cooperative Forestry Overview

The FY 2013 President’s Budget proposes $116,818,000 for Cooperative Forestry, a decrease of 

$3,540,000 from the FY 2012 Enacted. Cooperative Forestry promotes working in partnership with 

States, Tribal governments, communities, and private landowners to improve management and protection 

of forests and use of forest-based goods to enable them to care for their lands and communities. 

The Cooperative Forestry programs are Forest Stewardship Program, Forest Legacy Program, 

Community Forest and Open Space Conservation Program, and the Urban and Community Forestry 

program. 

The Economic Action program was not proposed for funding in FY 2013. The Forest Resources 

Information and Analysis program is shifted to the Forest and Rangeland Research Appropriation. 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

State and Private Forestry 4-25

Budget Line Item Forest Stewardship

(dollars in thousands)

FY 2011 

Enacted

FY 2012 

Enacted

FY 2013 

President's 

Budget

Program 

Changes

Percent of 

Program 

Changes

Forest Stewardship

Annual Appropriations $32,548 $28,814 $24,778 -$4,036 -14%

Forest Stewardship Total 32,548 28,814 24,778 -4,036 -14%

Annual Appropriations FTEs 56 53 51 -2 -4%

Total Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs) 56 53 51 -2 -4%

FY 2009 

Actual

FY 2010 

Actual

FY 2011 

Target

FY 2011 

Actual

FY 2012 

Target

FY 2013 

Target

Forest Stewardship Program

Percentage of nonindustrial private forest acres 

in important forest resource areas being 

managed sustainably, as defined by a current 

Forest Stewardship Plan 2.6% 1.8% 10.0% 2.8% 5.0% 5.0%

Acres of nonindustrial private forest land that 

are being managed sustainably under forest 

stewardship management plans. (Annual) 2,076,447 1,805,353 2,250,000 1,531,858 1,750,000 1,500,000

Acres of nonindustrial private forest land that 

are being managed sustainably under forest 

stewardship management plans. (Cumulative) 18,582,449 19,592,387 23,500,000 21,124,245 22,500,000 22,000,000

 Note: Output measures include acres managed under current forest stewardship management plans only; as plans 

expire they are not always renewed.

FY 2013 Program Changes

The FY 2013 President’s Budget proposes $24,778,000 for the Forest Stewardship Program (FSP), a 

decrease of $4,036,000 from the FY 2012 Enacted. The program’s focus and impact has been 

significantly enhanced by the application of the completed Forest Action Plans, better coordination with 

program delivery partners, landowner peer to peer networks, and information technology advances. Forest 

Action Plans are enabling States to focus and coordinate program delivery to produce cumulative, 

landscape scale, measurable impacts, with multi-landowner, multi-partner planning and technical 

assistance efforts. In addition, Forest Action Plans help States identify and address opportunities resulting 

from emerging ecosystem service and biomass energy markets, and focus program assistance to conserve 

a “green infrastructure” of interconnected, viable forested landscape areas.

The program extends its reach by peer-to-peer progress which supports the program’s long term goal of 

managing significant landscapes, such as priority watersheds (as opposed to scattered, individual 

properties), and the conservation of strategically-located and connected open spaces. Through the use of 

recently implemented web-based management plan-writing and accomplishment tracking tools, the 

program’s impact will be tracked spatially, to inform landscape based strategic planning and leverage

place based partnerships. 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

State and Private Forestry 4-26

Past Performance

In FY 2011, nationwide, more than 21 million acres of non-industrial 

private forest lands were managed according to Forest Stewardship 

Plans, with over 1.5 million acres being added in FY 2011. Of this

total, 10.6 million acres (2.8 percent of nonindustrial private 

forestlands in important forest resource areas) are within high 

priority landscape areas identified through the Forest Stewardship 

Spatial Analysis Project and/or by Statewide Forest Acton Plans. 

The Stewardship Mapping and Reporting Tool (SMART) enables us 

to spatially track accomplishments with respect to these priority 

areas. States monitor the implementation of Forest Stewardship 

Plans using a statistically reliable, nationally consistent field 

monitoring program. 

The actual number of acres managed under Forest Stewardship Plans 

was lower than targeted for several reasons. First, this is still a relatively new measure and when targets 

were established there was no historic baseline information on which to base them. Second, State 

agencies must move resources and adapt programs to target newly established landscape focus areas. 

These adaptations take time and initially, resources are drawn away from landowner management plan 

development. Also, new program focus areas may include completely different and much more diverse 

landowner demographics. New and innovative landowner outreach tools are required before technical 

assistance can be effectively delivered. Finally, many States need to further refine and focus their 

landscape assessments so that priority areas are more manageable. As required by the 2008 Farm Bill, the 

Forest Service is working with States to improve assessment methods and data standards. With time, State 

partners are expected to further focus technical assistance efforts to impact their highest priority landscape 

areas. Program delivery is thus expected to increase significantly in these areas. 

Program Description

Program Overview

The Forest Stewardship Program is the only Forest Service program focused exclusively on private forest 

land management. A primary focus of the program is the development of comprehensive, multi-resource 

management plans that provide landowners – at a landscape scale - with the information they need to 

manage their forests for a variety of products and services. The program accomplishes that goal by 

delivering assistance through a national network of forestry technical assistance providers and programs. 

Because of this unique role, and since the majority of America’s forests are privately owned, the Forest 

Stewardship Program is central to fulfilling the Secretary’s vision for managing for healthy forests across 

“All Lands”. 

Forest Stewardship Plans lay out strategies for achieving unique landowner objectives and sustaining 

forest health and vigor. Actively managed forests provide timber, wildlife habitat, watershed protection, 

recreational opportunities and many other benefits for landowners and communities. Forest Stewardship 

plans motivate landowners to become more active in planning and managing their forests, greatly 

increasing the likelihood that their forests will remain intact, productive and healthy, and that the social, 

economic and environmental benefits of these lands will be sustained for future generations.

As such, the Stewardship Program plays a fundamental role in “keeping forests as forests,” providing 

places where Americans can reconnect to the outdoors. The program also helps prepare forest landowners 

The Stewardship Mapping and 

Reporting Tool (SMART)

SMART, formerly known as 

WebDET, is a powerful web-based 

plan-writing and spatial 

accomplishment tracking tool for 

field foresters and program 

managers. It displays and relates all 

program accomplishments to 

landscape priority areas identified 

by Forest Action Plans and 

associated forest resource attributes. 

SMART provides the ability to 

identify our footprint on the 

landscape.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

State and Private Forestry 4-27

for ecosystem services markets and other incentive programs. The program also helps create jobs in rural 

communities by sustaining local forest products markets and by providing assistance to private forest 

landowners in the development of forest management plans, which requires the expertise of a technically

qualified pool of private consultant and State agency field foresters. 

The Forest Service continues to work with the National Association of State Foresters, the Natural 

Resources Conservation Service, the American Forest Foundation, and other partners to coordinate and 

streamline technical planning assistance delivery to make the most effective use of available program 

resources and better address diverse landowner needs. This includes the further adoption of a national 

Forest Stewardship Plan template that satisfies the requirements of all major private forest landowner 

assistance and incentive programs. 

The Forest Stewardship Program is increasingly serving as a “gateway” through which landowners can 

gain access to a variety of assistance and programs including USDA cost-share, State tax abatement, 

forest certification, and emerging ecosystem service and renewable energy markets. Demand for Forest 

Stewardship planning assistance has increased significantly because the 2008 Farm Bill expanded 

eligibility for many USDA conservation programs to include private forest landowners. 

All Forest Stewardship Plans are required to consider the possible near and long term impacts of a 

changing climate, including increased fire risk, invasive species migration and species range and habitat 

shifts. Where appropriate and feasible, management plans will include actions to mitigate the adverse 

impacts of a changing climate.

Allocation and Integration

Program funding is allocated to Forest Service regions, the Northeastern Area and the International 

Institute of Tropical Forestry (IITF) based on statewide comprehensive program potential and cumulative 

program impact within priority landscape areas. Priority landscape areas are delineated in Forest Action 

Plans and/or through the Forest Stewardship Spatial Analysis Project. Program impact is measured 

primarily by the number of acres within high priority landscape area being managed according to active 

Forest Stewardship Plans as confirmed through a statistically valid field monitoring program. States 

greatly enhance program impact by integrating programs and leveraging partnerships to target high 

priority areas, maximizing Federal program investment. This approach emulates both the Secretary of 

Agriculture’s “All Lands” vision and the Administration’s emphasis on integrated, place-based program 

delivery. 

Partnerships 

All Forest Stewardship activities are coordinated with and delivered through State and Territorial forest 

agency partners; thus, the program leverages substantial non-Federal financial and human resources. 

States are required to provide a minimum 1:1 match for Federal funds, but most far exceed this level. 

In FY 2011, the Forest Stewardship Program funded over $23 million in grants to States and other 

partners that were matched at least 1:1 by funding and in-kind contributions. 

Through the Forest Stewardship Program, the Forest Service works regularly with a variety of forest and 

resource conservation partners including the American Forest Foundation, the Resources First 

Foundation, the National Woodland Owner Association, and The Nature Conservancy. 

The Forest Stewardship Program also continues to provide funding for the Chesapeake Bay Watershed 

Forestry program for ecosystem restoration activities because the Chesapeake is the Nation's largest 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

State and Private Forestry 4-28

estuary and a high priority for Federal investment to improve water quality. In executing this program, the 

Forest Service works closely with State and Federal 

partners and other organizations in the Chesapeake Bay 

program to implement forest stewardship, restoration, 

and conservation actions that contribute to overall 

watershed health, and specifically to water quality. This 

program helps to improve coordination in the 

implementation of riparian forest buffers to protect 

water quality, and provides educational, and technical 

assistance to partners at all levels. 

The Forest Stewardship Program also provides funding 

to partner with the Natural Resources Conservation 

Service to support the National Agroforestry Center, 

which successfully transfers sustainable agroforestry 

technologies to thousands of land management 

professionals each year. This Center, a multi-agency 

USDA partnership, is focused on three primary 

outcomes: (1) increasing the adoption of agroforestry 

practices that improve water, soil and air quality; 

sustainable agriculture; product diversity and rural 

wealth; (2) creating tailored, science-based agroforestry 

tools that can be used by landowners to address 

complex environmental, economic, and social 

conditions across all lands; and (3) integrating 

agroforestry into USDA programs and policies. 

Also, Forest Stewardship provides funding for the Reforestation Nurseries and Genetic Resources 

program, which provides technical assistance to federal, State, Tribal, Territorial, and private nurseries, 

supplying them with the latest technical information, thereby supporting an extensive network for 

seedling production. This Reforestation program is focused on six strategic areas: (1) providing leadership 

in reforestation, conservation, and restoration; (2) maintaining technical expertise in growing and planting 

adapted seeds and seedlings; (3) expanding the use of native plants; (4) assisting underserved 

communities; (5) streamlining and leveraging resources; and (6) conserving and assuring the proper use 

and development of genetic resources. 

The National Agroforestry Center

The USDA National Agroforestry Center (NAC) 

accelerates the application of agroforestry through a 

national network of partners. The NAC provides 

technical assistance and delivers award-winning tools 

and publications such as the Conservation Buffers 

Guide, a synthesis of over 1,400 research publications, 

which has been translated into several languages and 

over 10,000 copies have been distributed since its 

release in 2009. NAC annually delivers approximately 

100,000 requested publications to natural resource 

professionals. NAC outreaches to a broad diversity of 

customers through demonstration sites, workshops 

and products (webinars, publications, displays, 

website, and presentations).
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

State and Private Forestry 4-29

Budget Line Item Forest Legacy Program

(dollars in thousands)

FY 2011 

Enacted

FY 2012 

Enacted

FY 2013 

President's 

Budget

Program 

Changes

Percent of 

Program 

Changes

Forest Legacy Program

Annual Appropriations $52,894 $53,303 $60,000 $6,697 13%

Forest Legacy Program Total 52,894 53,303 60,000 6,697 13%

Annual Appropriations FTEs 25 22 22 0 0%

Total Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs) 25 22 22 0 0%

FY 2009 

Actual

FY 2010 

Actual

FY 2011 

Target

FY 2011 

Actual

FY 2012 

Target

FY 2013 

Target

Forest Legacy Program

Acres of environmentally important forests 

protected from conversion (Annual) 176,471 136,960 118,000 149,911 119,000 150,000

Acres of environmentally important forests 

protected from conversion (Cumulative) 1,897,809 2,056,107 2,174,107 2,210,563 2,329,278 2,479,278

Parcelization of forests avoided (number of 

parcels prevented) 7,161 2,682 4,766 3,822 4,806 5,782

Note: Annual numbers represent reported accomplishments at the end of the fiscal year. Cumulative numbers represent 

accomplishments through the end of the fiscal year plus adjustments made for late-arriving data from the States, which may 

result in a mathematical difference between the two representations.

FY 2013 Program Changes

The FY 2013 President’s Budget proposes $60,000,000 for the Forest Legacy Program (FLP), a program 

increase of $6,697,000 from the FY 2012 Enacted. These funds are used for the protection of important 

forests that are under significant development pressure and that protect air and water quality, provide 

access, and protect important habitat for threatened or 

endangered wildlife or fish species. The Forest Legacy 

Program is funded through the Land and Water 

Conservation Fund (LWCF). By permanently 

protecting important working forest lands, the Forest 

Legacy Program helps to create and maintain rural jobs 

and ensure a robust forest infrastructure. 

The increased funding for Forest Legacy is a key 

component of the President’s America’s Great 

Outdoors Initiative to conserve important landscapes 

and reconnect Americans to the outdoors. The funding 

helps the Forest Service continue to work across 

boundaries to support projects that protect forests in key landscapes as identified by State Forestry 

agencies in their recently completed Forest Action Plans that address the national priorities for private 

forests. These projects are coordinated with other partners to create viable and cohesive zones where the 

economic, social and environmental values of forests are conserved.

In planning for FY 2013, 42 States submitted 69 proposed projects, totaling $169 million, to the Forest 

Service for funding consideration by the national selection panel. Funding is provided to highest priority 

activities that can demonstrate performance in a transparent manner. FLP projects are located in Priority 

Clearwater – Montana

$5,900,000 of FLP funds will be used to protect 

10,236 acres of productive forestland west of Seeley 

Lake, Montana. Objectives of the project are to 

conserve natural resources; maintain traditional 

forest management and ensure public recreational 

access. The entire Forest Legacy parcel is in the U.S.

Fish and Wildlife Service designated Northern 

Continental Divide Ecosystem Grizzly Bear 

Recovery Area.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

State and Private Forestry 4-30

Areas or Forest Legacy Areas identified in Forest Action Plans. In FY 2013, 20 projects are proposed for 

funding. Refer to the Forest Legacy Program FY 2013 Project List on page 4-31.

Past Performance

In FY 2011, the FLP completed 39 projects and leveraged $43,000,000 of Federal funds with 

$75,000,000 of partner funds to protect a total of 149,911 acres. This protected a total of over 2.2 million 

acres cumulatively across the Nation. The number of parcels prevented from parcelization in FY 2011 

was 3,822. Completed acres and parcels prevented from parcelization were lower than anticipated due to 

the following factors: (1) A number of projects were costlier than anticipated and (2) real estate 

negotiations are very unpredictable, so it takes longer for a project to be completed than was originally 

predicted. In addition to the unpredictable nature of real estate transactions, FLP projects typically take 

about two years to close, so there is a time lag between annual funding and the accomplishments. 

Program Description

Program Overview

Through FLP, the Forest Service works with States, private 

landowners, and other conservation partners to protect 

environmentally critical forests threatened by land conversion 

through conservation easements and fee-simple purchases. 

Projects are evaluated by a panel in order to fund the highest 

priority land conservation areas. Funds for the Forest Legacy 

Program are provided through the Land and Water Conservation 

Fund. More than 50 percent (over 420 million acres) of our 

Nation’s forests are privately owned. Family forest owners and 

timber companies are facing increasing pressure to sell, 

subdivide, and develop their land. This program provides 

financial incentives to private landowners to conserve their 

forests, thereby protecting outdoor recreation opportunities, fish 

and wildlife habitat, and water quality. The program operates on 

a “willing buyer-willing seller” basis and is a non-regulatory, 

incentive-based land conservation program. 

Protection of private forests through FLP maintains a multitude 

of public benefits, ecosystem services, and products that forests 

provide. To date, the FLP has protected more than two million 

acres. These acres include 150,000 of water bodies and 2,500 

miles of streams. Eighty-nine percent of all FLP acres are 

adjacent to other protected lands. Conservation across a landscape rather than focusing solely within 

ownership boundaries is essential to address large-scale conservation issues such as protection and 

restoration of watersheds, reduction of wildfire risk, and protection of at-risk species. 

Research also shows that approximately 17 percent of human-caused greenhouse gas emissions worldwide are the result of deforestation or conversion of forest land to other uses (Congressional Research 

Service, International Forestry Issues in Climate Change Bills; 2009). Protecting forests from conversion 

is key to ensuring resiliency to impacts of a changing climate on resource conditions.

Brushy Mountain-Massachusetts

$5,000,000 of FLP funds have been used, 

beginning in FY 2011, to conserve more 

than 3,400 acres of forest that have

historically been an important part of the 

local forest products economy. Brushy 

Mountain includes most of the two largest 

remaining blocks of interior forest in 

Massachusetts. This represents a sizeable 

and representative portion of the area’s 

biodiversity, which if conserved will allow 

natural processes to continue. Permanently 

conserving Brushy Mountain is an 

incredible contribution to the landscape 

integrity of the Quabbin to Cardigan 

Partnership, a multi-State (Massachusetts 

and New Hampshire) effort to conserve a 

100 mile corridor of working forest land. 

Brushy Mountain’s core focus area for the 

Partnership. The conservation easement on 

the property will ensure public access 

including hunting, fishing and hiking.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

State and Private Forestry 4-31

Allocation and Integration

FLP projects are nominated through a two-stage competitive process (State-level identification and 

approval, and a national review and ranking), resulting in high-quality projects supported both locally and 

nationally. Each project is ranked using three standardized criteria: importance – public benefits gained 

from the protection and management of the property; threat – likelihood of conversion to non-forest uses 

resulting in a loss of forest values and public benefits; and strategic – project fits with a larger 

conservation plan, strategy, and initiative, and enhances previous conservation investments. Project 

management funds are allocated to the regions based on management needs for the projects.

Partnerships

To date, more than two million acres of environmentally important private lands have been protected 

through FLP. States and landowners are the primary partners, but land trusts and other conservation 

organizations play a critical role in identifying and completing projects. While the program requires a 25 

percent non-Federal match, the program averages a 50 percent non-Federal match.

Forest Legacy Program FY 2013 Project List

Priority 

Rank State Project Name Request

1 CO South Boulder Creek Watershed $5,000,000

2 MA Quabbin Reservoir to Wachusett Mtn 5,045,000

3 ID McArthur Lake Addition 4,095,000

4 VT Northern Green Mountains Linkage 2,720,000

5 ME East Grand / Orient 1,800,000

6 OR Gilchrist Forest 3,000,000

7 NC East Fork of French Broad Headwaters 3,000,000

8 HI Kaawaloa Hawaiian Forest 3,225,000

9 NY Mount Lebanon 1,865,000

10 SD Blood Run National Historic Landmark Area 1,205,000

11 OR Blue Mountain Heritage 1,500,000

12 PA Eagle Rock 1,500,000

13 WI Central Sands Pines 3,000,000

14 WY Munger Mountain Corridor 3,000,000

15 MS Pascagoula River Conservation Lands 3,170,000

16 MI Gitcha-ninj Nebish Forest 1,000,000

17 TN Carter Mt. Working Forest CE 1,875,000

18 IN Discover Woods 2,365,000

19 WA Pysht Coastal Forest 3,000,000

20 CA McCloud Working Forest Easement- Phase 1 2,335,000

Administrative Funds 6,300,000

Total Funding $60,000,000
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

State and Private Forestry 4-32

Budget Line Item Community Forest and 

Open Space Conservation

(dollars in thousands)

FY 2011 

Enacted

FY 2012 

Enacted

FY 2013 

President's 

Budget

Program 

Changes

Percent of 

Program 

Changes

Community Forest and Open Space Conservation

Annual Appropriations $1,000 $1,997 $4,000 $2,003 100%

Community Forest and Open Space Conservation Total 1,000 1,997 4,000 2,003 100%

Annual Appropriations FTEs 0 1 1 0 0%

Total Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs) 0 1 1 0 0%

FY 2013 Program Changes

The FY 2013 President’s Budget proposes $4,000,000 for the Community Forest and Open Space 

Conservation Program (CFP), a $2,003,000 increase above the FY 2012 Enacted. The purpose of CFP is 

to achieve community benefits through grants to local governments, Tribal governments, and qualified 

nonprofit organizations to establish community forests by acquiring and protecting forestlands. By 

creating community forests through land acquisition, communities and tribes provide public access and 

recreational opportunities, protect vital water supplies and wildlife habitat, address the effects of a 

changing climate, provide demonstration sites for private forest landowners, and derive financial and 

community benefits from sustainable management. 

The Forest Service will use the FY 2013 funds to monitor funded projects and will issue a request for 

proposals to fund additional community forest projects. In addition, these funds will ensure that the 

agency has capacity to continue implementation of this program. 

Past Performance

The CFP was authorized in 2008, and the first funds were received in FY 2010. Final implementation 

regulations were issued October, 14, 2011. The regulation outlines application requirements, as well as 

the standard selection criteria used by the Forest Service to manage the national competitive process that 

will be used to prioritize and fund the best CFP projects. The Forest Service has issued a request for 

applications, soliciting projects that will use the FY 2010 and FY 2011 funds. The Forest Service intends 

to put any FY 2012 funds towards the same solicitation. 

Program Description

Program Overview

The CFP authorizing language specifies that the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the 

Forest Service, may award grants to local governments, Tribal governments, and qualified nonprofit 

organizations to permanently protect through fee acquisition private forests that are threatened by 

conversion to non-forest uses and provide specified public benefits to communities. This program 

promotes protection and enjoyment of the Nation’s outdoor heritage by empowering people and 

communities to protect and restore places they cherish. It will be a key piece of the President’s America’s 

Great Outdoors Initiative by connecting people to the outdoors where they live, not faraway places that 

are difficult to access. Community forests will provide special public places that promote health, provide 

a place to find quiet and solitude, and generally improve quality of life. 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

State and Private Forestry 4-33

Community benefits under CFP include, but are not limited to: (1) economic benefits through sustainable 

forest management and related jobs, and clean drinking water; (2) environmental benefits, including clean 

water and wildlife habitat; (3) benefits from forest-based educational programs, including vocational 

education programs in forestry; (4) benefits from serving as replicable models of effective forest 

stewardship for private landowners; (5) recreational benefits, including hunting and fishing; and (6) 

public access benefits. The Federal contribution to the project cannot be more than 50 percent of the total 

project cost. However, cost sharing provides key opportunities to increase financial capacity and 

promotes local investment, allowing communities to actively participate in sustainable management of 

their local forests. 

The CFP complements the Forest Legacy Program (FLP) and the Urban and Community Forestry 

Program (U&CF), but is not duplicative of either program. CFP and FLP each engage unique partners and 

utilize different tools for land protection. CFP is focused on creating community forests through land 

acquisition and FLP protects at-risk forests through easements and land purchase. While a few projects 

may align with the intent of both programs, most projects will qualify for only one. Also, unlike U&CF 

which builds capacity for communities to develop and implement urban forestry programs, CFP is a land 

protection program, but provides another tool to those entities that have demonstrated a sustained 

commitment to community forestry.

Allocation and Integration

The Forest Service will conduct a competitive review and ranking process. The review and rankings will 

be based on the criteria outlined in the published regulations. The Forest Service anticipates issuing an 

annual request for applications, which will provide additional specificity on the review process, review 

criteria, and timelines.

Partnerships

The CFP has received and continue to receive support from State and local governments, Tribal 

governments, land trusts and other conservation organizations, and communities. 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

State and Private Forestry 4-34

Budget Line Item Urban and Community Forestry

(dollars in thousands)

FY 2011 

Enacted

FY 2012 

Enacted

FY 2013 

President's 

Budget

Program 

Changes

Percent of 

Program 

Changes

Urban and Community Forestry

Annual Appropriations $32,040 $31,327 $28,040 -$3,287 -10%

Urban and Community Forestry Total 32,040 31,327 28,040 -3,287 -10%

Annual Appropriations FTEs 45 44 44 0 0%

Total Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs) 45 44 44 0 0%

FY 2009 

Actual

FY 2010 

Actual

FY 2011 

Target

FY 2011 

Actual

FY 2012 

Target

FY 2013 

Target

Urban & Community Forestry

Percentage of people living in communities 

managing programs to plant, protect, and 

maintain their urban and community trees and 

forests. 42.0% 43.0% 38.0% 43.5% 43.0% 43.0%

Percentage of people living in communities 

developing programs and/or activities to plant, 

protect, and maintain their urban and 

community trees and forests. 34% 34% 37% 33% 34% 34%

FY 2013 Program Changes

The FY 2013 President’s Budget proposes $28,040,000 for the Urban and Community Forestry (U&CF) 

program, a decrease of $3,287,000 from the FY 2012 Enacted. Currently, more than 83 percent of all 

Americans live in metropolitan areas. With the proposed FY 2013 President’s Budget, U&CF will 

continue to work with State Forestry agencies and other partners to assist communities in developing and 

advancing their urban forestry programs. U&CF 

will work to optimize the social, economic, and 

environmental services that urban and community 

trees and forests provide. 

At this funding level, efforts to implement 

strategic tree planting initiatives for carbon 

sequestration and energy conservation will 

continue. Special emphasis will also be placed on 

landscape scale demonstration projects that have 

regional and national significance for urban and 

community forest management across landscapes. 

Past Performance

In FY 2011, U&CF provided assistance to 7,172 

communities, reaching a total of 194 million 

people, over 60 percent of the population of the 

U.S. This assistance helped communities develop 

and maintain urban forestry programs, which

Vibrant Cities & Urban Forests

In April 2011, the Forest Service and non-profit New York 

Restoration Project convened a National Call to Action 

Task Force to craft recommendations that will advance 

urban forestry into the next decade and beyond. This call to 

action acknowledges that cities and nature aren’t separate –

they are whole urban ecosystems. The focus of this effort is 

to change the way we live in, study, manage and rebuild 

our towns and cities in the next decade and beyond. 

Recommendations include developing a national urban 

forestry awareness and education campaign; fostering 

urban forestry volunteerism; and creating sustainable jobs 

in urban forestry. The Forest Service will use these 

recommendations to inform urban natural resources 

programs across deputy areas. 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

State and Private Forestry 4-35

protect their urban trees and forests. For example as a result of assistance provided by this program, in FY 

2011 over 33 percent of people in the U.S. are living in communities that are developing programs to 

protect and maintain their urban forests. 

This program has also helped to ensure that people in the U.S. are living in communities that are healthier 

and more livable. U&CF continued to work with State Forestry agencies and other partners to assist 

communities in developing and advancing their urban forestry programs. Funding is provided to the 

highest priority activities that can demonstrate results in a transparent manner.

Program Description

Program Overview

U&CF assists cities, suburbs, and towns across the country in improving the condition and coverage of 

community trees and forests. With 83 percent of the Nation's population in urban areas, there are strong 

environmental, social, and economic opportunities to revitalize city centers and older suburbs. Where 

urban forests have been established, crime rates are often reduced and urban youth are exposed, often for 

the first time, to the natural world. The U&CF program promotes the creation of healthier, more livable 

urban environments across the Nation by focusing on connecting people from where they live to 

community parks and green spaces.

U&CF maintains, restores, and improves urban forest ecosystems. With proper planning, urban trees 

remove air pollutants, shade cars and parking lots, reduce building heating and cooling energy needs and 

significantly reduce urban noise. There are 100 million acres of urban forest lands in the U.S. Active 

management of these assets secures the greatest economic, social, and environmental benefits. Improved 

techniques in urban forestry valuation have shed light on the benefits of trees and green infrastructure, 

increased real estate values generated by trees produces direct economic gains to the local community 

through property taxes. In 2002, the horticultural industry was estimated at $147 billion in output, 

1,964,339 jobs and $64 billion in labor income (Economic Impacts of the Green Industry in the United 

States, www.utextension.utk.edu/hbin/greenimpact.html). 

Allocation and Integration

This program allocates funds based on performance, tracked in a web-based accomplishment reporting 

system. Allocations target communities that have established one or more of the following: professional 

urban forestry staff, tree ordinances, urban forest management plans, or tree boards or advisory 

organizations. 

The U&CF program is well integrated with other Forest Service programs. The U&CF and Forest Health 

Management programs work together to survey and monitor conditions of urban forests’ health, including 

the early detection and response to invasive insect pests such as emerald ash borer and Asian longhorned 

beetle. 

U&CF works with Research and Development to develop, disseminate, and support i-Tree, an urban and 

community forest benefits assessment and management software. i-Tree is a state-of-the-art software tool 

designed to help communities of all sizes to strengthen their urban forest management and advocacy 

efforts by quantifying the environmental services that trees provide and the structure of the urban forest. 

The software tools are public domain and are freely accessible. i-Tree currently has over 8,200 unique 

users in the U. S. across all 50 States, and 99 different countries. Version 4.0 of the i-Tree software was 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

State and Private Forestry 4-36

released in September 2011, providing application upgrades and an innovative new watershed hydrology 

modeling application.

Partnerships

U&CF delivers its program through State forestry 

agencies, other Federal agencies, local governments, 

community organizations, and volunteers. State 

programs leverage the Forest Service investment with 

other funding sources to deliver financial assistance to 

communities for urban and community forestry, often 

providing at least a 2:1 match for the Federal funds. 

To achieve program priorities, U&CF is also working 

with the USDA National Agroforestry Center, The 

Conservation Fund, Sustainable Urban Forest 

Coalition, National Association of Regional Councils, 

National Science Foundation, and other national 

partnership organizations. The Forest Service is the 

Urban Waters lead on behalf of USDA. This Federal 

partnership includes 11 Federal agencies, including 

USDA, EPA, Commerce, HUD, Transportation, 

Interior and the Army.

Urban Waters Federal Partnership

This is a union of 11 Federal agencies dedicated to 

restoring the health of urban waters and revitalizing the 

neighborhoods that surround them. The Forest Service 

is the lead on three of the seven pilot sites selected for 

interagency efforts to restore healthy rivers. These sites 

are located in Denver, Colorado, Baltimore, Maryland 

and Northwest Indiana. Urban Waters aligns with the 

USDA Strategic Plan priority goal for protecting water 

and has been identified as a specific action in the 

USDA Environmental Justice Strategy. Urban waters 

often serve as drinking water sources; the urban forest 

tree canopy is a proven filter, protecting against runoff 

from roads and parking lots as well as industrial 

sources. 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

State and Private Forestry 4-37

Budget Line Item Forest Resources Information and Analysis

(dollars in thousands)

FY 2011 

Enacted

FY 2012 

Enacted

FY 2013 

President's 

Budget

Program 

Changes

Percent of 

Program 

Changes

Forest Resources Information and Analysis

Annual Appropriations $5,026 $4,917 0 -$4,917 -100%

Forest Resources Information and Analysis Total 5,026 4,917 0 -4,917 -100%

Annual Appropriations FTEs 21 0 0 0 0%

Total Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs) 21 0 0 0 0%

FY 2013 Program Changes

The FY 2013 President’s Budget proposes consolidating the Forest Resources Information and Analysis 

program within the Forest and Rangeland Research (Forest Service R&D) appropriation. Funding to 

support implementation of Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) activities will be provided entirely within 

Forest Service R&D. 

FIA program delivery will continue under Forest Service R&D to provide information that can be used by 

managers and policymakers to address impacts to forest and rangelands. FIA is the only program 

delivering continuous and comprehensive assessments of our forests in a nationally consistent manner 

across all land ownerships. FIA fulfills the Forest Service commitment to providing the information 

needed to evaluate the threats to sustainable futures for America’s forests. The FIA information is used to 

evaluate the impacts air quality on forests, develop sound carbon management strategies of forests for 

carbon sequestration, provide for risk analyses of insect and disease outbreaks and support fire risk rating.

These products have significant economic and social benefits to both rural and urban communities.

Past Performance

In FY 2011, the FIA program was implemented in 50 States. Forest Service R&D continued to provide 

users with access to FIA data through various online data tools, such as Forest Inventory Data Online 

(FIDO), FSVeg (Field Sampled Vegetation module), and the National Woodland Owner Survey 

TableMaker. The new module of Mobile Integrated Data Acquisition System (MIDAS) was implemented 

for use in west coast urban inventory. 

Program Description

Refer to the Forest and Rangeland Research appropriation chapter for more information.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

State and Private Forestry 4-38

Budget Line Item International Forestry

(dollars in thousands)

FY 2011 

Enacted

FY 2012 

Enacted

FY 2013 

President's 

Budget

Program 

Changes

Percent of 

Program 

Changes

International Forestry

Annual Appropriations $9,492 $7,987 $3,912 -$4,075 -51%

International Forestry Total 9,492 7,987 3,912 -4,075 -51%

Annual Appropriations FTEs 29 24 17 -7 -29%

Total Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs) 29 24 17 -7 -29%

FY 2013 Program Changes 

The FY 2013 President’s Budget proposes $3,912,000 for the International Forestry program, a decrease 

of $4,075,000 from the FY 2012 Enacted. This funding will maintain high priority investments in natural 

resource conservation issues, including invasive species, biodiversity conservation, migratory species, and 

advancing U.S. policy interests such as addressing illegal logging.

Past Performance

Addressing Illegal Logging: Worldwide trade of forest products is estimated to exceed $1 trillion per 

year; approximately 15 percent of which is from illegally harvested wood. The artificially low price of the 

illegal harvest leads to an imbalance in which world markets cannot equally participate. This imbalance 

undercuts the competiveness of U.S. forest products companies who are playing by the rules; resulting in 

the loss of jobs in the U.S. One of the major problems in policing illegal logging worldwide has been the 

difficulty in identifying wood species—especially tropical wood species. Identification is complex 

because of the sheer number of species—and the difficulty in tracing illegally harvested wood. 

International Forestry staff is working on improving information on wood identification, fostering the 

competitiveness of the U.S. forest products industries, which depend on a steady supply of legallysourced tropical hardwoods. This work includes ongoing collaboration with the Forest Products 

Laboratory in developing a hand held device using laser technology for wood identification. The device 

will enable wood processors, customs officials and civil society organizations to more easily identify 

commercial species in the field with minimal training. In the U.S. and other countries, producers and 

manufacturers need this state-of-the-art computer technology to be competitive in global markets. 

Invasive species: To protect the U.S. economy from the damage that invasive species inflict on our 

forests, International Forestry works with Chinese counterparts to address one of the most destructive 

invasive forest pests, the emerald ash borer. By studying natural enemies of the pest, scientists aim to find 

effective biocontrol mechanisms. International Forestry continues to work with the USDA Agricultural 

Research Service to better understand why the borer is so resilient and pervasive. This will help predict 

and prevent potential future outbreaks by related wood boring beetles. Part of this work includes a Forest 

Service entomologist who, through a partnership with on the ground colleagues, is collecting specimens 

in China. The information will be included in a fully illustrated identification manual and will serve as the 

basis for training workshops and several other illustrated books to further disseminate this valuable 

information.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

State and Private Forestry 4-39

Program Description

Program Overview

The International Forestry program is critical in leveling the playing field in international trade for U.S. 

timber producers by encouraging the trade of legally harvested timber. Improving the legality and 

sustainability of timber management overseas means less underpriced timber on the world market. The 

program both addresses illegal logging and promotes sustainable, and legal, forest management overseas. 

The focus is on countries with significant forest resources and important forest product related trade with 

the U.S. In addition, the program addresses several critical domestic natural resource conservation issues, 

including protecting the Nation from invasive species as well as conserving habitat for U.S. migratory 

species of high importance. Forest Service land managers and scientists provide technical cooperation, 

policy assistance, and training in sustainable natural resource management as well as disaster 

preparedness and response. Innovations and important technologies are often brought back to the U.S. as 

a result of this work. 

Allocation and Integration

The program prioritizes work in collaboration with other Forest Service programs and in conjunction with 

the U.S. Department of State to address the most important international natural resource management 

issues including illegal logging, migratory species habitat, invasive forest pests and sustainable forest 

management.

Partnerships

The International Forestry program works in coordination with Forest Service field units, domestic and 

international partners including those in other U.S. government agencies, foreign governments, 

international and local environmental organizations, universities and the private sector, on a range of 

forest management and policy issues. International Forestry engages in technical collaboration to develop 

capacity, strengthen institutions, and develop economic alternatives to unsustainable and illegal 

harvesting. 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

State and Private Forestry 4-40

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FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

National Forest System 5-1

Appropriation National Forest System

(dollars in thousands)

FY 2011 

Enacted

FY 2012 

Enacted

FY 2013 

President's 

Budget

Program 

Changes

Percent of 

Program 

Changes

National Forest System

Annual Appropriations $1,542,248 $1,554,137 $1,623,591 $69,454 4%

National Forest System Total 1,542,248 1,554,137 1,623,591 69,454 4%

Annual Appropriation FTEs 11,380 11,340 11,838 498 4%

Total Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs) 11,380 11,340 11,838 498 4%

National Forest System

Integrated Resource Restoration 0 0 793,124 793,124 0%

Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration 14,970 39,936 40,000 64 0%

Land Management Planning, Assessment & Monitoring 0 0 188,774 188,774 0%

Land Management Planning 45,033 39,936 0 -39,936 -100%

Inventory and Monitoring 167,219 161,721 0 -161,721 -100%

Recreation, Heritage, and Wilderness 281,627 281,176 267,066 -14,110 -5%

Wildlife & Fisheries Habitat Management 140,260 140,036 0 -140,036 -100%

Grazing Management 49,738 55,356 40,380 -14,976 -27%

Forest Products 336,049 335,511 0 -335,511 -100%

Vegetation & Watershed Management 184,341 184,046 0 -184,046 -100%

Minerals and Geology Management 83,560 83,426 73,351 -10,075 -12%

Landownership Management 91,765 85,738 78,855 -6,883 -8%

Law Enforcement Operations 144,254 143,829 140,041 -3,788 -3%

Valles Caldera National Preserve 3,432 3,426 0 -3,426 -100%

Subsistence Management 0 0 2,000 2,000 0%

National Forest System Overview

The FY 2013 President’s Budget proposes $1,623,591,000 for the National Forest System (NFS), an 

increase of $69,454,000 from FY 2012 Enacted. The increases are a reflection of the shift of other 

appropriations and programs in support of budget structure changes as described below. The NFS 

appropriation provides funds for the stewardship and management of the 193 million acres of national 

forests and grasslands.

Following Secretary Vilsack’s “All Lands” vision, the Budget focuses on meeting the challenges of 

ecological restoration through collaborative approaches to address fire and fuels, invasive species, and 

watershed degradation; engaging communities to help Americans reconnect to the outdoors, expand on 

recreation benefits and create a wide range of opportunities for economic expansion to retain and create 

jobs; and partnering with communities and fellow agencies to reduce the threat of wildland fires.

Conserving forests and grasslands not only conserves air quality, water, plants, and wildlife; it responds 

to the public’s interests and needs. Forests and grasslands generate wealth by providing opportunities for 

outdoor recreation and tourism such as hunting, fishing, and hiking. People improve their health and wellbeing by engaging in outdoor activities. The restoration of landscapes, sustainable forest management, 

and the development of markets for ecosystem services provide jobs to communities that benefit rural 

economies.

Management of the vast array of natural resources on NFS lands requires effective integration of many 

different and complex program areas. The suite of NFS programs support the planning, coordination, 

implementation, and monitoring of activities that provide: water-quality protection and improvement; 

recreation opportunities for the public; energy for the Nation; timber and non-timber forest products; 

habitat for wildlife; and forage for domestic animals. All of these services support the maintenance of 

jobs as well as growth in the domestic job market. These activities are managed to meet the needs of the 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

National Forest System 5-2

Nation while maintaining or improving the health of the land and protecting the environment to provide 

the greatest good in the long term. The FY 2013 President’s Budget includes budget structure changes 

designed to increase efficiency in program administration and delivery and to reduce redundancy and 

overhead costs while continuing to support the Administration’s highest priorities.

Integrated Resource Restoration (IRR)

The President’s Budget continues the FY 2012 pilot and fully implements IRR as a way of improving 

efficient delivery of many NFS programs throughout the Nation. This budget structure aligns with the 

Secretary’s vision of integrating watershed protection and restoration into all aspects of our management 

of national forests and grasslands and to create or maintain local economic opportunities and jobs. This 

budget structure allows us to more effectively accomplish forest health and water quality improvement 

goals. IRR leads to improved project integration and accomplishments to high priority, geographically 

specific, places on the ground. The following tables illustrate IRR in FY 2012 as a pilot and as if fully 

implemented without separating individual budget line items compared to FY 2013. 

Integrated Resource Restoration Consolidated Budget Line Items (dollars in thousands).

Approp. Budget Line Item

FY 2012 

Pilot Change

FY 2013 

Pres Bud

NFS Integrated Resource Restoration* $793,124 $793,124

NFS Wildlife and Fisheries Habitat Mgmt. 25,508 (25,508)

NFS Forest Products 44,514 (44,514)

NFS Vegetation and Watershed 

Management

42,383 (42,383)

CIM Legacy Roads and Trails 12,979 (12,979)

WFM Hazardous Fuels Non-Wildland Urban 

Interface 

20,966 (20,966)

WFM Rehabilitation and Restoration 0 0 0

Total $146,350 $646,774 $793,124

*Integrated Resource Restoration in FY 2012 is a pilot program in Regions 1, 3, and 4.

Integrated Resource Restoration Consolidated Budget Line Items (dollars in thousands).

Approp. Budget Line Item FY 2012 Change

FY 2013 

Pres Bud

NFS Integrated Resource Restoration $793,124 $793,124

NFS Wildlife and Fisheries Habitat Mgmt. 140,036 (25,508)

NFS Forest Products 335,511 (44,514)

NFS Vegetation and Watershed 

Management

184,046 (42,383)

CIM Legacy Roads and Trails 44,928 (12,979)

CIM Roads* 24,707 (24,707)

WFM Hazardous Fuels Non-Wildland Urban 

Interface

76,000 (20,966)

WFM Rehabilitation and Restoration 0 0 0

Total $805,228 ($12,104) $793,124 

* A portion of Roads is shifted to IRR in FY 2013.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

National Forest System 5-3

Land Management Planning, Assessment, and Monitoring

The President’s Budget proposes a consolidated budget line item (BLI) to facilitate a consolidated 

approach to landscape management. We propose to merge the current BLIs of Land Management 

Planning, and Inventory and Monitoring, into a single budget line item called Land Management 

Planning, Assessment, and Monitoring. Forest Service management occurs around a continuous cycle of 

assessing, planning at multiple levels, implementing and adjusting programs, and projects based on 

information acquired through integrated inventory and monitoring activities. 

The proposed BLI provides the agency flexibility to achieve efficiencies in several central activities in 

this cycle that are core to implementing the requirements of the new Planning Rule. The new Planning 

Rule promotes a collaborative science-based approach for planning, monitoring, and conducting 

assessments that considers information from and about all lands affected by, or influencing, planning unit 

activities. The need to integrate regional and local monitoring and assessment activities with unit planning 

efforts can be accomplished more effectively, clearly, and efficiently under the proposed budget line item.

The proposed budget structure improves accountability within the activities funded as well as facilitate a 

more complete alignment with other budget line items that fund agency information management 

activities by reducing the complexity of agency budgeting and accounting structures. Accountability is 

improved though priority aligning, management, information needs, and communicating explicit 

performance expectations in agency direction.

Land Management Planning, Assessment, and Monitoring Consolidated Budget Line Items 

(dollars in thousands)

Approp. Budget Line Item

FY 2011 

Enacted

FY 2012 

Enacted Change

FY 2013 

Pres Bud

NFS Land Management 

Planning, Assessment, and 

Monitoring

$188,774 $188,774

NFS Land Management 

Planning

45,033 39,936 (39,936)

NFS Inventory and Monitoring 167,219 161,721 (161,721)

Total $212,252 $201,657 ($12,883) $188,774
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

National Forest System 5-4

Budget Line Item Integrated Resource Restoration

(dollars in thousands)

FY 2011 

Enacted

FY 2012 

Enacted

FY 2013 

President's 

Budget

Program 

Changes

Percent of 

Program 

Changes

Integrated Resource Restoration

Annual Appropriations 0 0 $793,124 $793,124 0%

Integrated Resource Restoration Total 0 0 793,124 793,124 0%

Annual Appropriations FTEs 0 0 5,988 5,988 0%

Total Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs) 0 0 5,988 5,988 0%

FY 2009 

Actual

FY 2010 

Actual

FY 2011 

Target

FY 2011 

Actual

FY 2012 

Target

FY 2013 

Target

Integrated Resource Restoration

Number of watersheds moved to an improved 

condition class N/A N/A N/A N/A 5 1 0

Acres treated annually to sustain or restore 

watershed function and resilience N/A N/A N/A 2,624,016 2,600,000 2,600,000

Volume of timber sold (million board feet 

(MMBF)) 2,415 2,592 2,400 2,533 2,600 2,800

Miles of roads decommissioned 1,778 2,549 1,450 1,540 2,028 2,028

Miles of stream habitat restored or enhanced 3,498 3,577 2,800 3,878 2,670 2,750

 * Volume of timber sold is a unified target, and therefore, includes timber volume sold from the 

 Salvage Sale Fund and the Knutson-Vandenberg (K-V) Regional Work Trust Fund.

FY 2013 Program Changes

The FY 2013 President’s Budget continues to emphasize Integrated Resource Restoration (IRR) as the 

leading approach to accomplish on-the-ground restoration. This work will lead to improved forest and 

grassland health and resilience using landscape scale restoration to recover watershed health and clean 

water and create or maintain local economic opportunities and jobs. The IRR budget line item (BLI) was 

first introduced in FY 2011 and proposed again in FY 2012 with the addition of portions of Hazardous 

Fuels from the Wildland Fire Management BLI and Legacy Roads & Trails, and the road 

decommissioning activity from the Capital Improvement and Maintenance Appropriation. 

The FY 2013 President’s Budget proposes $793,124,000 for the IRR program as a single budget line 

item, an increase of $646,774,000 compared to FY 2012 Enacted. In FY 2012, IRR is a pilot program in 

Regions 1, 3, and 4 with up to $146,350,000. IRR includes activities accomplished through previous 

budget line items for Wildlife & Fisheries Habitat Management, Vegetation & Watershed Management, 

Forest Products, Legacy Roads & Trails, Hazardous Fuels in non-wildland urban interfaces, and 

Rehabilitation and Restoration under IRR to reestablish watershed, forest and grassland health fireadapted landscapes, and ecosystem function. 

Funding focuses on implementing restoration activities in priority watersheds and other high priority 

areas in combination with the Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration budget line item. IRR aligns 

funding with program and policy direction from the Secretary of Agriculture reinforcing the agency’s 

commitment to accomplish work more efficiently through collaboration and an “All Lands” restoration 

approach. The following table illustrates the programs that comprise IRR in FY 2012. In FY 2013, the 

program is fully implemented without separating individual budget line items. 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

National Forest System 5-5

In FY 2012, Regions 1, 3, and 4 were selected to be part of the Agency’s pilot program to demonstrate the 

benefits derived by merging multiple BLIs into a single; IRR. The agency appreciates the approval of a

limited IRR authority for Regions 1, 3, and 4, however the efficiencies intended by IRR can only be fully 

realized with full, nation-wide IRR authority. 

Integrated Resource Restoration Consolidated Budget Line Items (dollars in thousands). 

Comparison from FY 2012 pilots in Regions 1, 3 and 4 to proposed funding in FY 2013.

Approp. Budget Line Item

FY 2012 

Pilot Change

FY 2013 

Pres Bud

NFS Integrated Resource Restoration* $793,124 $793,124

NFS Wildlife and Fisheries Habitat Mgmt. 25,508 (25,508)

NFS Forest Products 44,514 (44,514)

NFS Vegetation and Watershed 

Management

42,383 (42,383)

CIM Legacy Roads and Trails 12,979 (12,979)

WFM Hazardous Fuels Non-Wildland Urban 

Interface 

20,966 (20,966)

WFM Rehabilitation and Restoration 0 0 0

Total $146,350 $646,774 $793,124

*Integrated Resource Restoration in FY 2012 is a pilot program in Regions 1, 3, and 4.

Integrated Resource Restoration Consolidated Budget Line Items (dollars in thousands). 

Comparison from FY 2012 as if IRR was fully funded compared to FY 2013.

Approp. Budget Line Item FY 2012 Change

FY 2013 

Pres 

Bud

NFS Integrated Resource Restoration $793,124 $793,12

4

NFS Wildlife and Fisheries Habitat Mgmt. 140,036 (25,508)

NFS Forest Products 335,511 (44,514)

NFS Vegetation and Watershed 

Management

184,046 (42,383)

CIM Legacy Roads and Trails 44,928 (12,979)

CIM Roads* 24,707 (24,707)

WFM Hazardous Fuels Non-Wildland Urban 

Interface

76,000 (20,966)

WFM Rehabilitation and Restoration 0 0 0

Total $805,228 ($12,104)

$793,12

4 

* A portion of Roads is shifted to IRR in FY 2013.

Investing in IRR in FY 2013 is expected to result in 2,600,000 watershed acres treated; 2,800 MMBF 

timber volume; approximately 2,028 miles of road decommissioned; and 2,750 miles of stream habitat 

restored or enhanced. In addition, the number of watersheds brought to higher condition class will be 

reported at the end of the fiscal year. Details on Forest Service funding for biomass and bioenergy, 

including the Community Wood to Energy Program, is outlined in the Special Exhibit on biomass and 

bioenergy.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

National Forest System 5-6

Past Performance

There are five measures that will be used to track accomplishments for IRR: 

Number of watersheds moved to an improved condition class 

Acres treated annually to sustain or restore watershed function and resilience

Volume of timber sold

Miles of road decommissioned 

Miles of stream habitat restored or enhanced

Volume of timber sold: (101 percent of target accomplished). In FY 2011, the agency prepared and sold 

4.845 billion cubic feet (CCF) or 2.423 billion board feet (MMBF) using forest products, permanent, and 

trust funds. Timber harvest is an important tool used to achieve multiple resource objectives and 

integrated with other activities including road decommissioning, stream restoration, and others helps to 

achieve the agency wide goal of increasing watershed health and improving resilience at the landscape 

level.

Miles of road decommissioned: In FY 2011, through the Legacy Roads and Trails program, the agency 

maintained 1,172 miles of road; decommissioned 581 miles of road; improved 498 miles of road; 

disposed or transferred 40 bridges; repaired or replaced 17 bridges or major culverts; and constructed or 

reconstructed 143 stream crossings for aquatic organism passage. In FY 2011 we decomissioned a total of 

1,540 miles of road (unified accomplishment) which was less than our total target of 2,581 miles. This 

was due, in part, to the lack of additional funding received through the American Recovery and 

Reinvestment Act (ARRA) appropriations that had funded prior year accomplishments and a reduction in 

shovel ready project capability with finalized NEPA process due to higher than normal performance 

under ARRA funding.

FY 2011 Miles Accomplished by Funding Source

Funding Source

Passenger Car 

Maintenance

High Clearance 

Maintenance

Road 

Decommissioning

Road 

Improvement

Legacy Roads & Trails 460 712 581 498

Focus on tracking accomplishment measures under IRR

The FY 2012 Budget Justification proposed IRR performance measures (Number of Watersheds in Condition 

Class 1, Class 2 and Class 3). As we completed the watershed condition assessments in FY 2011 it became clear 

that proposed performance measures would not be adequate to assess our accomplishments. The main issue with 

the previously proposed performance measures is that declines in watershed condition due to natural disturbances 

such as large fires, floods, or other landscape-altering events will mask improvements directly related to agency 

investments. Adapting our management to what we have learned during the watershed assessments, we are 

proposing a more valid performance measure for FY 2013.

Number of watersheds moved to an improved condition class. This new accomplishment reporting measure will be 

used to track the number of watersheds purposefully moved to an improved condition. This measure is part of the 

foundation measure for the Watershed Condition Framework, a critical component to validate the success of the 

integrated resource restoration approach. 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

National Forest System 5-7

FY 2011 Structures Accomplished by Funding Source

Funding Source

Bridges Disposed 

or Transferred

Bridges 

Repaired

Bridges 

Reconstructed

Bridges 

New

Stream 

Crossings 

Mitigated

Legacy Roads & Trails 40 2 7 8 143

In addition, the agency maintained 405 miles of trail to standard and improved 234 miles of trail. Work 

was targeted to mitigate conditions that were causing water quality issues adversely effecting threatened, 

endangered, or sensitive species or impacting community water systems. These accomplishments 

contribute to the agency’s total unified accomplishments as shown in the Capital Improvement and 

Maintenance; Roads budget line item. FY 2011 accomplishments for road decommissioning under roads 

funding are also described under the Roads budget line item.

Miles of stream habitat restored or enhanced: (139 percent of target accomplished). In FY 2011 the 

agency restored 3,878 miles of stream habitat. This accomplishment enhanced habitat for native fishes 

with commercial and non-commercial value, as well as for desired non-native species important to 

recreational fishing. A portion of the restoration was to remove invasive species that outbreed or out 

compete native fish species, and disrupt aquatic stream habitat. Target accomplishments continue to be on 

an upward trend that reflects integrated restoration and partnership contributions. 

Acres treated annually to sustain or restore watershed function and resilience: In FY 2011 the agency 

accomplished 2,624,016 acres. There was no initial target proposed for this first year of the resiliency 

measure. These represent the cumulative acre based accomplishments achieved through Integrated 

Resource Restoration type activities that sustain or restore watershed function and resilience and include 

treatments that contribute significantly to improvement of watershed conditions. Many of these resiliency 

activities contributed to the 330,000 acres of high impact targeted (HIT) practices that were accomplished 

within the USDA Landscapes of National Importance (LNIs). These HIT practices are actions that 

contribute to the USDA Priority Goal, formerly identified as the High Priority Performance Goal (HPPG) 

for water. These HIT actions are implemented on National Forest and private working lands in priority 

landscapes that accelerate the protection of clean, abundant water. 

Program Description

Program Overview

The Secretary of Agriculture’s vision for active forest management advances the role of healthy forests to 

protect and enhance water resources and to maintain landscape resilience in response to impacts of a 

changing climate and other stressors. The IRR program focuses on landscape scale activities that promote 

watershed resilience. Included is all traditional work activities associated with investments, management 

and services that occurred under previous individual budget line items. Active management of national 

forest and grasslands is critically necessary to address threats to health and safety of America’s forestdependent communities and watersheds. IRR enhances the capacity of the agency to increase the pace and 

scale of restoration activities nation-wide. 

The IRR landscape scale approach aligns and emphasizes restoration actions through forest management, 

range management, wildlife & fisheries habitat management, vegetation & watershed management, 

hazardous fuels management in non-Wildland Urban Interface (non-WUI) areas, road decommissioning, 

and activities previously accomplished under the Legacy Roads and Trails Rehabilitation and Restoration 

programs. 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

National Forest System 5-8

Activities previously accomplished under the Legacy 

Roads and Trails activity continues under IRR, 

including urgently needed road and trail 

decommissioning, long-term road storage, repair, and 

maintenance and associated activities. The removal of 

fish passage barriers is especially important in areas 

where roads may be contributing to water quality 

problems in streams and water bodies that supported 

threatened, endangered or sensitive species. Road and 

trail repairs required due to storm disturbances in local 

communities that are urgently needed to protect 

community water resources is also an important 

consideration for funding within IRR.

The Watershed Condition Framework will be used 

interactively to identify where decommissioning will 

occur within priority watersheds and where culverts 

blocking fish passage should be removed or upgraded 

to protect aquatic resources and provide resiliency to 

flooding. Road and trail decommissioning will continue 

to be based on travel management analysis and to 

reduce the impact of unneeded systems by putting roads 

into long term storage to protect water quality and other 

resources such as wildlife, fish, and plant communities. 

The IRR program also incorporates implementation of 

the Watershed Condition Framework. By combining 

the budget authority of multiple land management 

programs into one budget line item, we gain 

administrative efficiency by reducing accounting codes,

and flexibility to schedule multiple resource 

management activities at one time, in one place. 

Several activities contribute to the, watershed acres 

treated accomplishments, including reforestation, 

rangeland improvements, invasive species treatments, 

terrestrial habitat improved for wildlife, soil and water 

resource improvements, and non-Wildland Urban 

Interface fuel treatments. Other work supported in the 

IRR program includes air quality monitoring, wildlife 

interpretation and education programs, water rights 

management, and soil quality management, stewardship 

contracts, timber sales, special forest products, and 

firewood sales. 

The IRR, landscape scale approach also allows the 

agency to better address many of the resource 

challenges facing National Forest System lands, such as 

the bark-beetle epidemic (see Special Exhibit for 

additional information), the decline of longleaf pine and 

Watershed Condition Framework

The Forest Service has established a 

framework to guide the improvement of 

watershed health on national forests and 

grasslands. The Watershed Condition 

Framework is a comprehensive approach 

for: 1) evaluating the condition of 

watersheds, 2) prioritizing work in areas 

important to the public and where work 

results in noticeable differences in overall 

watershed condition, 3) strategic integrated 

restoration, and 4) tracking and monitoring 

outcomes.

Watersheds were classified using a core set 

of 12 indicators. These indicators identify 

elements to be addressed to maintain a 

watershed’s condition class or move it to an 

improved condition class, and track 

changed watershed condition aspects over 

time. 

The classification of 15,000 sub-watersheds and

the identification of over 200 priority watersheds

were completed in FY 2011. The initial 

assessment determined that 52 percent (7,882) of 

watersheds were Class 1 – Good, 45 percent 

(6,751) were Class 2 - Fair, and 3 percent (431) 

were Class 3 - Poor. In FY 2012, Step C, the 

development of the watershed action plans 

designed to move priority watersheds to an 

improved condition class will be completed for 

the high priority watersheds. Integrated project 

implementation will begin in FY 2012. 

A website has been developed for the 

public to share more detailed information 

and post map products as the processes are 

completed. This link is: 

http://www.fs.fed.us/publications/watershed
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

National Forest System 5-9

other forest ecosystems, threatened and endangered species management, wild horse and burro 

management, restoring lands historically used as roads to a natural state, replacement of bridges or major 

culverts to allow aquatic organism passage, and climate variability, while protecting the overall resiliency 

of forests and grasslands. 

IRR implementation emphasizes collaboration with stakeholders and internal interdisciplinary planning in 

an effort to continuously improve restoration projects and increase community support. In return, the 

agency expects to accomplish more on-the-ground work, create or maintain jobs, and improve the 

stability of rural communities and the safety of their drinking water. 

Stewardship contracts are a critically important tool used to implement integrated resource restoration 

projects across Priority Watersheds and Collaborative Restoration Projects (CFLRP). Use of this authority 

creates jobs in the forest products industry, helping to sustain communities and develop and maintain 

forest operations infrastructure. By using the value of forest products to offset the cost of services, we can 

better provide opportunities to achieve landscape scaled management goals. This proposal requests that 

the stewardship contracting authority be made permanent. Refer to the Stewardship Contracting special 

exhibit for more details.

Allocation and Integration

Allocations to the regions represent a strategic investment of financial resources focused on sustaining, 

improving, and restoring natural ecosystems. Allocations reflect priority needs for landscape and 

watershed restoration; reducing wildfire risk; support for local economic infrastructure and jobs; 

decommissioning of roads or trails; forest vegetation management; and resource needs to address 

threatened, endangered, and sensitive species, air quality, invasive species, and those activities that are 

critical to the overall management of the national forests and grasslands. Funds continue to also support 

core and historical operations and management functions to prevent the decline in the health and 

condition of the national forest and grassland ecosystems. 

As regions compile and analyze data from Watershed Condition Action Plans it is estimated that regional 

allocations will be at 10 percent or more of total IRR funding. Restoration activities reflect the need to 

support strong and diverse forest products and livestock grazing industries, facilitating their important 

contributions to jobs and communities. 

Integration and collaboration with other programs not included in Integrated Resource Restoration is 

important to implementing land management activities. Coordination of efforts with State and Private 

Forestry programs and other USDA agencies such as the Natural Resources Conservation Service has

resulted in a synergistic effect in restoring priority watersheds on a landscape scale. 

Partnerships

The agency continues to enhance program delivery and accomplishments through an extensive network of 

collaborators and long-term partners, Federal and State agencies, tribal governments, nongovernmental 

organizations, and local communities. For decades, the agency has worked closely with this extensive 

network and with local communities; civic organizations; and national conservation-oriented 

organizations such as The Nature Conservancy, Trout Unlimited, the National Fish and Wildlife 

Foundation, the National Forest Foundation, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Wildlife Forever, Ducks 

Unlimited, and the National Wild Turkey Federation. In FY 2011 external partners helped the agency 

complete over 6,000 fish and wildlife projects on national forests and grasslands. The dollar and in-kind 

value of these partner contributions totaled nearly $80 million. 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

National Forest System 5-10

Successful partnerships and collaborative efforts have led to the improvement of millions of acres of 

terrestrial habitat, and thousands of miles of streams for imperiled, common, and economically significant 

species throughout the Nation. Our partnerships support ecosystem services such as clean water and 

woody biomass. These partnerships have increased our capacity to conduct restoration through sizeable 

contributions of matching funds and in-kind support from external partners (See Special Exhibit on 

Partnerships for more detailed information). 

The Forest Service has also entered in to partnership agreements with several organizations (including 

American Forests, the National Arbor Day Foundation, the National Forest Foundation, and the National 

Garden Clubs) and businesses to increase the amount of NFS lands receiving reforestation treatments 

following catastrophic wildfires and other natural events. 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

National Forest System 5-11

Budget Line Item Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration

(dollars in thousands)

FY 2011 

Enacted

FY 2012 

Enacted

FY 2013 

President's 

Budget

Program 

Changes

Percent of 

Program 

Changes

Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration

Annual Appropriations $14,970 $39,936 $40,000 $64 0%

Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Total 14,970 39,936 40,000 64 0%

Annual Appropriations FTEs 25 38 38 0 0%

Total Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs) 25 38 38 0 0%

Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration

Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration 14,970 39,936 40,000 64 0%

FY 2009 

Actual

FY 2010 

Actual

FY 2011 

Target

FY 2011 

Actual

FY 2012 

Target

FY 2013 

Target

Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration

Acres of forest vegetation established N/A N/A 3,000 5,537 8,000 3,500

Acres of forest vegetation improved N/A N/A 10,000 20,561 26,000 51,000

Acres of noxious weeds and invasive plants 

treated N/A N/A 100,000 11,393 20,600 15,800

Miles of stream habitat restored or enhanced N/A N/A 5 0 3 8 5 5 130

Acres of terrestrial habitat enhanced N/A N/A 72,000 167,263 69,000 185,000

Volume of timber sold (million board feet 

(MMBF)) N/A N/A 31.5 121.3 50.0 165.0

Number of green tons and/or volume of woody 

biomass from hazardous fuel reduction and 

restoration treatments on Federal land that are 

made available through permits, contracts, 

grants, agreements, or the equivalent N/A N/A 316,500 267,890 445,000 518,000

Acres of wildland-urban interface (WUI) highpriority hazardous fuels treated N/A N/A 45,000 77,133 62,000 87,000

Acres of hazardous fuels treated outside the 

Wildland Urban interface to reduce risk of 

catastrophic fire N/A N/A 55,500 45,884 79,500 108,500

Miles of roads decommissioned N/A N/A 2 5 5 0 170 173

Miles of passenger car system road 

reconstruction and capital improvement N/A N/A 6 5 2 5 140 6 7

Miles of high clearance system road 

reconstruction and capital improvement N/A N/A 8 0 4 0 6 5 4 0

Table note: Accomplishments include CFLRP and matching funds and represent core, integrated and partnership accomplishments. FY 2010 

accomplishments reflect ARRA funds as well. Targets for FY 2012 and 2013 do not include the newly selected projects in FY 2012.

FY 2013 Program Changes 

The FY 2013 President’s Budget proposes $40,000,000 for the Collaborative Forest Landscape 

Restoration Program (CFLRP) an increase of $64,000 from the FY 2012 Enacted. Funds will support 

implementation of CFLRP projects selected in FY 2010 and those that have been selected in FY 2012. 

Project activities include:

Safety enhancement through the treatment of hazardous fuel acres

Restoration of watershed function and resilience

Improvement of forest vegetation and wildlife habitat

Generation of commercial timber and biomass for bioenergy as a result of restoration treatments.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

National Forest System 5-12

Investing in the Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Program advances on-the-ground restoration 

through community-based collaboration, implementation, and monitoring. Furthermore, it supports local 

rural communities through the generation of forest products such as timber and biomass for bioenergy 

production, as well as the creation and maintenance of jobs. The FY 2013 emphasis areas of projects 

selected in FY 2010 are described below. 

Southwestern Crown of the Continent

In FY 2013, this project, located on the Flathead, Lolo and Helena National Forests improves forested 

habitats, producing biomass that can be used for bioenergy production. Additionally, the Forest Service 

will work with partners to treat hazardous fuels acres inside and outside of the Wildland Urban Interface. 

Using other funds, the collaborative group also works together to complete the NEPA process for acres to 

receive treatment in the future. 

Selway-Middle Fork

This project, located on the Nez Perce-Clearwater and Bitterroot National Forest, focuses on managing 

noxious weeds and invasive plants in FY 2013. Additionally, improved terrestrial habitat; and treatment 

of forestland acres through timber sales will generate both timber and biomass to support industry. The 

Forest Service will also enhance safety by treating hazardous fuels acres in the Wildland Urban Interface.

Uncompahgre Plateau

In FY 2013, the Uncompahgre Plateau Project program of work includes implementation of two potential 

stewardship contracts that will generate product value and include prescribed fire to reduce risk of 

catastrophic wildfire, erosion control on trails, noxious weed treatments, seeding with native seed, 

wildlife habitat improvement, and road decommissioning. Partners continue to support the project 

through in-kind contributions as well as grants and agreements. 

Front Range

In FY 2013, this project, located on the Pike, San Isabel, Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests, 

emphasizes restoration treatments in the ponderosa pine ecosystems and safety enhancement through 

hazardous fuels reduction in the Wildland Urban Interface. Additional accomplishments will include 

noxious weed treatment, watershed restoration, and wildlife and fish habitat improvement. 

Four Forest Restoration Initiative

The Four Forest Restoration Initiative is located on the Apache-Sitgreaves, Coconino, Kaibab, and Tonto 

National Forests. In FY 2013, this project focuses on improving forest vegetation, managing noxious 

weeds and invasive plants, enhancing wildlife habitat, and treating hazardous fuels acres both inside and 

outside of the Wildland Urban Interface. It is expected that these treatments will support local economies 

through the generation of jobs and forest products such as timber and biomass for bioenergy production.

Southwest Jemez Mountains

The project straddles the Santa Fe National Forest and Valles Caldera National Preserve. In FY 2013, the 

collaborative group continues to implement and monitor the project. Road crews maintain and improve 

roads that will be used for product removal. Forests are improved through prescribed burning, thinning, 

and mechanical treatment. Additionally, lead partners will begin collecting data in treated areas in order 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

National Forest System 5-13

to monitor the ecological impacts of the project. Socio-economic modeling will also be used to assess the 

effects of the project on local communities.

Dinkey Landscape Restoration Project

In FY 2013, this project, located on the Sierra National Forest, focuses on restoring watershed function 

and resilience, improving forest vegetation, and treating hazardous fuels acres in the Wildland Urban 

Interface. It is anticipated that these treatments will generate biomass for bioenergy, supporting industry. 

Additionally, the collaborative implementing this project will begin collection of preliminary posttreatment monitoring data. 

Tapash

This project is located on the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest. In FY 2013, accomplishments 

emphasize improvement of forest vegetation through commercial timber sale preparation, noncommercial thinning and stand improvement, and preparation of helicopter-based vegetation treatments. 

The FY 2013 program of work also continues to implement activities that benefit fisheries and aquatic 

restoration, including activities such as improving or maintaining passenger car system roads, 

reconstructing stream crossings to provide for aquatic organism passage and improved water qualities, 

and improving acres to achieve desired watershed conditions. 

Deschutes

In FY 2013, the Deschutes project continues watershed improvement work within the Three Sisters 

Irrigation District, as well as completing upland and riparian restoration work and road decommissioning 

across the rest of the landscape. The range of recently re-introduced steelhead trout will be enhanced by 

the addition of a priority fish passage culvert. This project also emphasizes hazardous fuels reduction 

through brush mowing, and commercial and non-commercial thinning. 

Accelerating Longleaf Restoration

This project, located on the Florida-Osceola National Forest, continues to focus on establishing and 

improving forest vegetation and the treatment of hazardous fuels acres outside the Wildland Urban 

Interface. These treatments will generate commercial timber to support local economies and improve 

terrestrial habitat for wildlife. Additionally, site preparation will occur to prepare for mechanical planting. 

CFLR Activities for FY 2012

CFLR projects are submitted by field units, and reviewed by an Advisory Committee. The Advisory 

Committee then submits recommendations for funding to the Secretary of Agriculture. The Secretary 

reviews the recommendations, and makes a final decision regarding which projects will receive CFLR 

funds. In FY 2012, the Advisory Committee reviewed 26 submitted proposals and recommended 13 to the 

Secretary. The Secretary selected 10 of these 13 projects for CFLR funding in FY2012. The additional 

three projects cannot be funded in FY 2012 as the Omnibus Act of 2009, which established the program, 

limits selection to two projects per region per year. In FY 2013, these projects will be funded. 

A map of the CFLR projects is displayed in the report titled: People Restoring America’s Forests: A 

Report on the Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Program, available on the internet at the 

following link. http://www.fs.fed.us/restoration/CFLR/documents/CFLRPAnnualReportNov2011.pdf
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

National Forest System 5-14

Missouri Pine-Oak Woodlands Restoration Project: Missouri

The Current River Hills houses Missouri’s largest contiguous forest and three scenic riverways. 

This mosaic of habitat hosts a suite of wildlife species, including turkey, summer tanager, easter 

tiger salamander, red bat, and ornate box turtle. Through thinning and prescribed burn treatments, 

the Pike Oak Woodlands Project will make the forests of the woodlands more resilient to wildfire, 

drought, insects, and climate change. This will help to maintain the area’s value for people, water 

and wildlife. The project will support an estimated 600 part and full time jobs, and produce labor 

value expected to exceed $26 million. Over $18 million estimated savings in wildfire management 

costs are possible. 

The FY 2012 selections are as follows:

CFLR was allocated $40 million in FY 2012

In addition to projects selected in FY 2010, 10 additional projects are being funded through CFLR

Following are two examples of new CFLR projects selected in FY 2012.

Grandfather Collaborative Landscape Restoration Project: North Carolina

Pisgah National Forest is known for its rich diversity of plants and trees that provide a home to rare 

wildlife, including the bog turtle, Eastern small-footed bat, and Appalachian cottontail. The area is 

also well known to hunter and fisherman for turkey, deer, and trout. Restoration activities will treat 

eastern and Carolina hemlock to control the foreign hemlock wooly adelgid, improve forests, 

reduce mega-fire risk, and provide small diameter tree materials for firewood, pulp, bioenergy, and 

specialty furniture and building projects. The Grandfather Project will create and maintain an 

estimated 12.7 full time jobs with a labor value of about $382,098. Approximately 11,200 CCF of 

sawtimber and pulpwood will be produced, and an estimated $6.67 million will be saved in wildfire 

management costs. 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

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FY 2012 CFLR Projects 

Project Name Region Forest(s) FY 2012 CFLR Funds

Burney-Hat Creek Basins 

Project

5 Lassen NF 605,000

Missouri Pine-Oak Woodlands 

Restoration Project

9 Mark Twain NF 617,000

Weiser-Little Salmon 

Headwaters CFLRP

4 Payette NF 2,450,000

Shortleaf-Bluestem Community 8 Ouachita NF 342,000

Lakeview Stewardship CFLR 

Proposal

6 Fremont-Winema NF 3,500,000

Kootenai Valley Resource 

Initiative

1 Idaho Panhandle NF 324,000

Southern Blues Restoration 

Coalition

6 Malheur NF 2,500,000

Zuni Mountain CFLRP 3 Cibola NF 400,000

Grandfather Restoration Project 8 Pisgah NF 605,000

Amador-Calaveras Consensus 

Group Cornerstone Project

5 Eldorado and Stanislaus NF 730,000

Past Performance

In FY 2011, the CFLRP Projects implemented treatments to restore ecosystem resilience and adaptive 

capacity while also generating forest products to help support local infrastructure and economies. For 

example: approximately 26,098 acres of forest vegetation was improved or established; 121 million board 

feet of timber was sold; and 267,890 green tons of woody biomass was made available for bioenergy 

production. 

Program Description

Program Overview

The CFLRP program encourages collaborative, science-based ecosystem restoration of priority forest 

landscapes. The CFLRP program was authorized by the Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Fund

Forest Landscape Restoration Act (16 U.S.C. 7301-7304) (Pub. L. 111-11, Title IV, March 30, 2009, 123 

Stat. 1141). This Act authorizes the ecosystem restoration of priority forest landscapes that must be at 

least 50,000 acres in size, with the aim of recovering resilience and adaptive capacity of ecosystems that 

have been degraded, damaged, or destroyed. 
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The CFLR funds can be matched with appropriated, permanent and trust, or partnership funds, in-kind 

contributions, and restoration treatments funded through timber value within a stewardship contract.

The CFLRP funds may be used to pay up to 50 percent of the cost of carrying out and monitoring 

ecological restoration treatments that occur on National Forest System (NFS) lands. Activities 

implemented using CFLRP funds include: reducing the risk of uncharacteristic wildfire, including the use 

of fire for ecological restoration and maintenance and reestablishing natural fire regimes; improving fish 

and wildlife habitat; maintaining or improving water quality or watershed function; preventing, 

remediating, or controlling invasions of exotic species; maintaining, decommissioning, and rehabilitating 

roads and trails; and facilitating the removal and utilization of woody biomass and small trees produced 

from projects implementing the strategy. No more than $4 million of CFLRP funds can be allocated to an 

individual project in any one year. Land areas for consideration must have a substantially complete 

restoration strategy, be primarily composed of forested NFS land, and be accessed by wood-processing 

infrastructure to use the woody biomass and small-diameter wood removed during ecological restoration 

treatments. 

Allocation and Integration

A Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) Advisory Panel reviews CFLRP project proposals and 

makes recommendations for selection. The Secretary of the Department of Agriculture then makes the 

final decisions as to which projects receive funding. The amount of CFLRP funds distributed to each 

project varies depending upon the amount requested in the original proposal, and the amount of funding 

allocated to the CFLRP program from Congress. The CFLRP funds can be spent on up to 50 percent of 

implementation and monitoring within the CFLRP project boundary on NFS lands. The other 50 percent 

of implementation and monitoring must be funded by specified matching Forest Service Budget Line 

Items, funds contributed through agreements, partner in-kind contributions, or service work accomplished 

through goods-for services funding with a stewardship contract. Matching Budget Line Items are 

interdisciplinary, and the primary purposes must be consistent with the CFLRP project description and 

landscape restoration strategy. Matching funds can include a combination of appropriated, permanent and 

trust, or partnership funds, in-kind contributions, and restoration treatments funded through timber value 

within a stewardship contract. Determinations for qualification of a budget line item (BLI) as appropriate 

for matching the CFLR BLI are based upon: budget direction primary purpose and definition as a 

treatment activity necessary to implement a landscape restoration treatment in the context of the project 

restoration strategy.

Partnerships

At the national level, the Forest Service works with the National Forest Foundation (NFF) to provide 

support to the field units. NFF has facilitated several peer-to-peer webinars for CFLRP projects. These 

webinars are designed to facilitate the sharing of information and best practices, and have focused on 

topics such as implementation, collaboration, and multi-party monitoring. Additionally, the Forest Service 

partnered with the CFLRP Coalition, a group made up of interested parties and spearheaded by five nongovernmental organizations, to draft a report on the programs progress in November 2011. 

This Report on the Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Program, available on the internet at the 

following link. http://www.fs.fed.us/restoration/CFLR/documents/CFLRPAnnualReportNov2011.pdf

There are also many strong partnerships at the project level. Collaborative groups are often made up of 

tribal, Federal, State and local governments, as well as non-governmental organizations. Some projects 

have also formed innovative partnerships to assist in project implementation. For example, in the project 

area for the Uncompahgre Plateau project in Colorado, the Forest Service has a memorandum of 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

National Forest System 5-17

understanding with the Denver Water utility company in which the two parties share the cost of watershed 

restoration. 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

National Forest System 5-18

Budget Line Item

Land Management Planning, Assessment & 

Monitoring

(dollars in thousands)

FY 2011 

Enacted

FY 2012 

Enacted

FY 2013 

President's 

Budget

Program

Changes

Percent of 

Program 

Changes

Annual Appropriations

Inventory and Monitoring $167,219 $161,721 0 -$161,721 -100%

Land Management Planning 45,033 39,936 0 -39,936 -100%

Land Management Planning, Assessment & Monitoring 0 0 $188,774 188,774 0%

Land Management Planning, Assessment & Monitoring Total 212,252 201,657 188,774 -12,883 -6%

Annual Appropriation FTEs

Inventory and Monitoring 1,046 1,025 0 -1,025 -100%

Land Management Planning 312 290 0 -290 -100%

Land Management Planning, Assessment & Monitoring 0 0 1,259 1,259 0%

Total Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs) 213,610 202,972 190,033 -12,939 -6%

Land Management Planning, Assessment & Monitoring

Land Management Planning 45,033 39,936 0 -39,936 -100%

Inventory and Monitoring 167,219 161,721 0 -161,721 -100%

FY 2009 

Actual

 FY2010 

Actual

FY 2011 

Target

FY 2011 

Actual

FY 2012 

Target

FY 2013 

Target

Land Management Planning, Assessments & Monitoring

Number of land management plan amendments 

underway 4 8 4 1 3 0 3 3 2 6 2 6

Number of land management plan revisions or 

creations underway 3 9 2 0 2 0 1 9 2 8 3 0

Acres of inventory data collected and acquired Number of annual monitoring requirements 55,191,314 32,882,996 23,200,000 44,871,472 20,078,000 17,900,000

completed 1,462 1,387 1,400 1,464 1,350 1,245

Number of land management plan assessments 

completed 7 3 6 2 4 0 5 8 3 8 3 0

* Grey cells indicate past performance under separate budget line items, before this proposed budget structure change.

FY 2013 Program Changes

The FY 2013 President’s Budget proposes $188,774,000, for the Land Management Planning, 

Assessments, and Monitoring Program, a net program decrease of $12,883,000 from the FY 2012 

Enacted. The President’s Budget proposes consolidating the Land Management Planning and Inventory 

and Monitoring programs into one budget line item. The net amount was calculated using the combined 

totals from FY 2012 as illustrated in the table below. 

Land Management Planning, Assessment, and Monitoring Consolidated Budget Line Items 

(dollars in thousands)

Approp. Budget Line Item

FY 2011 

Enacted

FY 2012 

Enacted Change

FY 2013 

Pres Bud

NFS Land Management 

Planning, Assessment, and 

Monitoring

$188,774 $188,774

NFS Land Management 

Planning

45,033 39,936 (39,936)

NFS Inventory and Monitoring 167,219 161,721 (161,721)

Total $212,252 $201,657 ($12,883) $188,774
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

National Forest System 5-19

The consolidation was first proposed in the FY 2012 President’s Budget. Forest Service management 

occurs around a continuous cycle of assessing, planning at multiple levels, implementing and adjusting 

programs and projects based on information acquired through integrated inventory and monitoring 

activities. The proposed BLI provides the agency flexibility to implement the requirements of the new 

Planning Rule which includes an increased focus on agency assessment and monitoring activities, 

although we will still track performance and funding allocated to historic activities. Under the proposed 

BLI, critical work would not be constrained by insufficient funds in one activity that would otherwise 

prevent successful implementation of the full range of activities in the management cycle. The need to 

integrate regional and local monitoring and assessment activities with unit planning efforts can be 

accomplished more effectively and efficiently under the proposed budget line item. These efficiencies 

help achieve plan revisions in three to four years instead of the five to six years it currently takes.

The new Planning Rule has been developed under 36 CFR 219 and replaces the 2008 Planning Rule 

invalidated by the Federal district court decision in Citizens for Better Forestry v. USDA, 632 F.Supp. 2d 

968 (N.D.Cal., 2009). The new Planning Rule promotes a collaborative science-based approach for 

planning, monitoring, and conducting assessments that considers information from and about “All Lands”

affected by, or influencing, planning unit activities. National Forest System (NFS) units work with 

counterparts in Research and Development and State and Private Forestry, as well as with the public, 

tribes and other partners, to revise and amend plans, develop unit and regional monitoring programs and 

strategies, conduct assessments in advance of plan revisions, and ensure that inventories, data 

management, and corporate data systems support these and other business requirements. 

Management priorities and actions funded under each activity area include:

Land Management Plan Revisions and Amendments: The FY 2013 President’s Budget includes 

funds for the creation, revision, and amendment of land management plans (LMPs). Funding 

supports LMP revisions required under the National Forest Management Act (NFMA). These 

funds allow continued work on 30 LMP revisions including 10 currently scheduled for 

completion by the end of FY 2013. The agency will continue to improve its capacity to revise 

LMPs and implement the other provisions of the new Planning Rule. In addition, the agency 

amends, corrects or adjusts, as needed, the plans not currently under revision, focusing on 

completing amendments to address critical issues and decisions, including energy corridors, 

integrated forestry, travel management plans, and watershed restoration opportunities. This 

funding level supports work on 26 LMP amendments.

Assessments and Monitoring: The FY 2013 President’s Budget funds inventory, monitoring and 

assessment work on national forests and grasslands in support of LMP revisions, amendments, 

and other agency priorities. The agency also integrates and improves databases and ensures that 

all existing and newly acquired data resides in a centralized repository which supports the 

efficient implementation of the new Planning Rule and other programs requiring forest-wide 

inventory data. 

This FY 2013 President’s Budget funds LMP development and implementation assessments on 

national forests and grasslands. Assessments conducted in advance of LMP revisions determine 

the need to change direction in existing plans. The agency will complete 30 assessments in FY 

2013.

The new Planning Rule establishes a planning framework that emphasizes developing 

collaborative, science-based unit-monitoring programs and broad-scale monitoring strategies at 

the regional and national level to address high-priority resource questions, conditions, and issues.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

National Forest System 5-20

These could include watershed and ecological conditions, focal species, visitor use and recreation 

objectives, influences from a changing climate, and other local, regional and national objectives. 

This multi-tiered approach highlights ecological, social, and economic trends and conditions 

relevant to LMPs. The approach also generates efficiencies in data collection, mapping, storage, 

reporting, and use. Units will be completing and compiling monitoring information prior to 

initiating revisions or amendments in order to assess plan direction and identify resource issues.

Past Performance

Number of land management plan amendments underway: (110 percent of target accomplished). In FY 

2011 NFS units had 33 plan amendments underway. The agency continues to expect that the number of 

major amendments underway and completed during the next two to three years will stabilize as the 

agency transitions to the requirements under the new Planning Rule. 

Number of land management plan creations or revisions underway: (95 percent of target accomplished). 

In FY 2011, all 19 plan revisions followed the 1982 Planning Rule procedures permitted under the 2000

Proposed Planning Rule. The agency continues to make substantial progress in completing Draft and 

Final Environmental Impact Statements on the 19 revisions underway with four revisions expected to be 

completed in FY 2012.

Acres of inventory data collected, and acquired: (233 percent of target accomplished). In FY 2011 the 

agency inventoried over 44 million acres. The definition of this measure includes the migration of legacy 

data from digital or hardcopy sources into corporate applications and the purchase or acquisition of 

remote sensing data from external sources. Additional acreage was accomplished on several units for both 

of these reasons. The migration of legacy inventory data to the agency’s centralized corporate data center 

in Kansas City was completed during FY 2011 so future accomplishments will not spike as a result of that 

type of work. Inventory data supported 20 plan revisions, 33 amendments, assessments and other agency 

priorities. 

Number of land management plan assessments completed: (145 percent of target accomplished). In FY 

2011, the agency completed 58 plan assessments, many of which reflect anticipation of the new Planning 

Rule. Assessments are a key initial step for determining the need to revise or amend plans in response to 

changing ecological, social and economic conditions and for collaborating with the public. 

Program Description

Program Overview

The Land Management Planning, Assessments and Monitoring program funds the development, 

maintenance, and revision of LMPs as well as the acquisition, analysis, and storage of data that supports 

planning and a variety of other business requirements and resource management needs. 

A LMP provides broad guidance for identifying, prioritizing, and implementing the programs and projects 

that move a NFS unit towards achieving desired conditions and agency objectives. This is achieved 

through collaboration with the public and partners and results in plans that address a wide variety of 

programs and issues. Goals and objectives may include adapting to climate change conditions, ensuring 

abundant clean water, providing recreation opportunities, restoring and maintaining forest and rangeland 

ecosystems, and improving priority watersheds across larger landscapes. 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

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The National Forest Management Act (NFMA) requires that each unit of the NFS have a LMP that is 

formally revised every 10 to 15 years to address changing conditions and new information related to 

natural resources, management goals, and public use. The Forest Service has developed 125 LMPs to 

guide the management of 155 national forests, 20 grasslands, and other unique units of the NFS. Since the 

late 1980s, the agency has revised 56 LMPs, about 45 percent of the total. 

The agency funds and conducts inventory, monitoring, and assessment activities that are designed and 

integrated to meet land management planning and other business requirements. This program also 

supports the development, maintenance, and coordination of numerous corporate applications and 

systems that support resource information storage and analysis needs of the agency. 

Examples of data collected through inventory and monitoring activities, analyzed in assessments and used 

for planning and restoration purposes include: vegetation conditions; wildlife habitat; social and 

economic conditions and impacts; air, water and soil quality; recreation visitor use; and potential impacts 

to climate. Inventory activities help establish baselines of information that are used to identify, prioritize, 

and frame objectives for achieving desired conditions through restoration programs and activities. 

Assessments consider and evaluate social, economic and ecological conditions, trends and future 

management opportunities for the unit. Monitoring provides information for evaluating progress towards 

achieving objectives. 

Specific program objectives needing information resource support include:

 

Planning Land management

Enhancing scientific understanding of ecosystems

Fulfilling agreements for inventory and monitoring results with partners

Providing data, information, and analyses to decision makers in response to current management 

needs and emerging issues

Providing information necessary to assess efficacy and responsiveness of Forest Service 

programs

Supporting cost-effective program delivery

This program is delivered through the following major activities:

Land Management Plan Revisions and Amendments: This activity includes all planning activities 

associated with LMP revisions, creations, amendments, corrections, and other plan maintenance 

identified in the current planning rule. This includes: collaboration and public involvement; 

development of LMP components; conducting any analyses after legal notice initiating an 

amendment or revision; development and evaluation of alternatives; preparation of draft and final 

environmental impact statements; content analysis of public comments; and resolving appeals, 

litigation, and objections to the LMP. 

Assessments and Monitoring: This activity includes the inventory, assessments, and monitoring 

essential to the development, amendment, or revision of LMPs. Resource inventories are 

designed to meet LMP requirements and other management needs of the agency. Resource 

inventory activities include data collection and acquisition; data entry, including migration of 

legacy data, and storage in corporate systems; data evaluation and analyses to ensure accuracy 

and determine data classifications; documentation and implementation of quality control 

procedures and compilation of metadata; and resource mapping. LMP development and revision 

assessments evaluate current and desired resource conditions and trends for the unit at appropriate 

scales. These assessments include determinations of ecological, social, and economic 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

National Forest System 5-22

sustainability, as well as evaluations that determine the need to change direction. LMP 

implementation assessments assist in identifying and locating projects and activities designed to 

achieve plan objectives. Monitoring and evaluation assists in determining if there is a need to 

change direction in an LMP. Both implementation and effectiveness monitoring are needed to 

evaluate progress towards achieving desired LMP conditions and objectives. The development 

and implementation of broader scale monitoring strategies assist in obtaining information on 

specific resource issues that need to be addressed consistently at the regional or national level.

Allocation and Integration

Integrated allocations for this program are based on several factors related to each activity. These include 

the number of LMPs in each region that are under revision, the number of plans in a non-revision or 

maintenance mode, and the number of units and total acreage in each region. Priority for allocating funds 

for planning is given to those units revising their LMPs under the current planning rule. Funding is also 

provided for inventory, assessment, and monitoring activities which support land management planning

under the new planning rule. Additional funding may also be allocated to field units conducting roadless 

area evaluations. Adjustments may be made among regions based on regional capability or to mitigate 

situations where a proposed allocation would create undesirable transition effects. Coordination with 

other programs with responsibility for inventory, monitoring and assessments ensures that appropriate 

direction, funding, and performance expectations are included in agency program and information 

resource direction.

Partnerships

Collaboration with partners and the public is critical to developing, revising or amending LMPs, 

conducting assessments and developing and implementing a monitoring program. Collaborative activities 

assist in identifying needs, establishing desired conditions, crafting alternatives or scenarios for future 

management, and identifying information needs and monitoring requirements.

For plan development, revision, and maintenance activities, agency field units work closely with citizens 

and organizations with an interest in how the land is managed. The agency also works with Federal, 

regional, and local partners to inventory and monitor its lands. Within the Federal Geographic Data 

Committee, the agency has the lead responsibility to work with other agencies to set standards for 

vegetation classification. It also works with governmental and non-governmental partners to collect data 

and set inventory and monitoring protocols for consistent data collection methods.

See next page for the Land Management Plan Revision Schedule
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

National Forest System 5-23

Land Management Plan Revision Schedule 

Creations and Revisions Completed prior to FY 2011 (Total =56) 

R-1 Beaverhead-Deerlodge R-5 Los Padres R-9 Allegheny 

R-1 Dakota Prairie NG R-5 San Bernardino R-9 Chequamegon-Nicolet 

R-2 Arapaho-Roosevelt R-8 El Yunque (1st Revision) R-9 Chippewa 

R-2 Black Hills R-8 Chattahoochee-Oconee R-9 Finger Lakes 

R-2 Bighorn R-8 Cherokee R-9 Green Mountain 

R-2 Medicine Bow R-8 Croatan R-9 Hiawatha 

R-2 Nebraska R-8 Daniel Boone R-9 Hoosier 

R-2 Rio Grande R-8 Francis Marion R-9 Huron-Manistee 

R-2 Routt R-8 Jefferson R-9 Mark Twain 

R-2 Thunder Basin NG R-8 Kisatchie R-9 Midewin National 

R-2 White River R-8 Land Between the Tallgrass Prairie (new plan) 

R-4 Boise Lakes NRA (new plan) R-9 Monongahela 

R-4 Caribou R-8 NFs in Alabama R-9 Ottawa 

R-4 Payette R-8 NFs in Florida R-9 Shawnee 

R-4 Sawtooth R-8 NFs in Texas R-9 Superior 

R-4 Targhee R-8 Ouachita R-9 Wayne 

R-4 Uinta R-8 Ozark-St. Francis R-9 White Mountain 

R-4 Wasatch-Cache R-8 Sumter R-10 Tongass

R-5 Angeles R-8 George Washington R-10 Chugach 

R-5 Cleveland (1st revision) (1st revision)

Revisions Underway in FY 2012 (Total = 28) 

R-1 Idaho-Panhandle R-3 Coronado R-6 Okanogan-Wenatchee 

R-1 Kootenai R-3 Kaibab R-6 Umatilla

R-1 Clearwater R-3 Prescott R-6 Wallowa-Whitman

R-1 NezPerce R-5 Lake Tahoe Basin R-8 NFs in Mississippi

R-2 San Juan* R-5 Sequoia NM R-8 Uwharrie*

R-2 Shoshone R-5 Sierra R-8 NFs in Texas

R-3 Apache-Sitgreaves R-5 Sequoia NF (2nd revision)

R-3 Cibola NG* R-5 Inyo R-8 George Washington*

R-3 Coconino R-6 Colville (2nd revision) 

R-3 Cibola NF R-6 Malheur R-10 Chugach (2nd Revision)

* Expected completions in FY 2012 (4)
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

National Forest System 5-24

Revisions starting in FY 2013 and Beyond (Total = 46)

R-1 Bitterroot R-4 Ashley R-5 Stanislaus

R-1 Custer R-4 Bridger-Teton R-5 Tahoe

R-1 Flathead R-4 Dixie R-6 Deschuttes

R-1 Gallatin R-4 Fishlake R-6 Fremont-Winema

R-1 Helena R-4 Humboldt-Toiyabe R-6 Gifford Pinchot

R-1 Lewis & Clark R-4 Manti-La Sal R-6 Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie 

R-1 Lolo R-4 Salmon-Challis R-6 Mt. Hood

R-2 Cimarron-Comanche NG R-5 Eldorado R-6 Ochoco

R-2 Grand Mesa, R-5 Klamath R-6 Olympic

 Uncompahgre, Gunnison R-5 Lassen R-6 Rogue River

R-2 Pike-San Isabel R-5 Mendocino R-6 Umpqua

R-3 Carson R-5 Modoc R-6 Siskiyou

R-3 Gila R-5 Plumas R-6 Siuslaw

R-3 Lincoln R-5 Shasta-Trinity R-6 Willamette

R-3 Santa Fe R-5 Six Rivers R-8 Nantahala-Pisgah

R-3 Tonto R-5 Sequoia NF

We expect that there will be as many as 30 LMP revisions underway in FY 2013. Most of those, up to 

20, will be revisions started using the 1982 procedures under the 2000 Planning Rule. There will also be 

eight “Early Adopter” revisions under the new Planning Rule that are being initiated in FY 2012. The FY 

2012 Early Adopters are:

Region Unit State

1 Clearwater NF Idaho

1 Nez Perce NF Idaho

5 Inyo NF California

5 Sequoia NF California

5 Sierra NF California

3 Cibola NF New Mexico

8 El Yunque NF Puerto Rico

10 Chugach NF Alaska
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

National Forest System 5-25

Budget Line Item Recreation, Heritage, and Wilderness

(dollars in thousands)

FY 2011 

Enacted

FY 2012 

Enacted

FY 2013 

President's 

Budget

Program 

Changes

Percent of 

Program 

Changes

Recreation, Heritage, and Wilderness

Annual Appropriations $281,627 $281,176 $267,066 -$14,110 -5%

Recreation, Heritage, and Wilderness Total 281,627 281,176 267,066 -14,110 -5%

Annual Appropriations FTEs 2,235 2,233 2,213 -20 -1%

Total Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs) 2,235 2,233 2,213 -20 -1%

Recreation, Heritage, and Wilderness

Manage Recreation Operations 155,077 154,761 146,655 -8,106 -5%

Administer Recreation Special Use Authorizations 44,429 44,382 42,345 -2,037 -5%

Manage Heritage Resources 33,798 33,759 30,908 -2,851 -8%

Manage Wilderness & Wild & Scenic Rivers 48,323 48,274 47,158 -1,116 -2%

FY 2009 

Actual

FY 2010 

Actual

FY 2011 

Target

FY 2011 

Actual

FY 2012 

Target

FY 2013 

Target

Recreation, Heritage & Wilderness

Number of recreation site capacity (PAOT 

days) operated to standard 74,364,856 88,711,234 88,712,000 86,575,330 86,575,330 77,917,800

Percentage of NFS lands covered by travel 

management plans resulting in visitor safety, 

resource protection using best management 

practices, and less visitor conflict with off-road 

vehicle usage 43.7% 66.7% 100.0% 76.8% 100.0% 100.0%

Number of recreation special use authorizations 

administered to standard 21,070 14,772 13,500 13,308 13,300 12,910

Number of wilderness areas managed to 

minimum stewardship level 128 176 204 220 279 309

Number of heritage programs managed to 

standard N/A N/A N/A N/A 6 5 5 7

Number of wild and scenic river areas meeting 

statutory requirements 3 9 4 6 4 8 4 2 4 4 4 4

Heritage program score N/A N/A N/A N/A 4,452 3,870

Customer satisfaction with value for fee paid 83% 83% 85% 83% 85% 80%

FY 2013 Program Changes

The FY 2013 President’s Budget proposes $267,066,000 for the Recreation, Heritage and Wilderness 

program, a decrease of $14,110,000 from the FY 2012 Enacted. The program implements the Framework 

for Sustainable Recreation which is the Forest Service’s commitment to the President’s America’s Great 

Outdoors and the First Lady’s “Let’s Move” Initiatives. As a part of this effort, the recreation program 

focuses on the actions identified in the Recreation Visitor Safety Report, October 18, 2010, and associated 

action plan, the Travel Management Rule, and the 10-Year Wilderness Stewardship Challenge. 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

National Forest System 5-26

Promoting America’s Great Outdoors 

In support of the President’s America’s Great Outdoors Initiative, the Forest Service expands recreation 

opportunities for youth and diverse populations, supports job creation through youth conservation corps, 

and expands opportunities for private sector outfitters and guides, ski areas and resorts that operate on the 

National Forest System (NFS). We also improve recreational access, a major goal of AGO.

The Federal Interagency Council on Outdoor Recreation (FICOR) was established in accordance with the 

America’s Great Outdoors (AGO) Report. As a charter member of the FICOR, we aim to increase 

coordination and collaboration among the Federal land and water agencies to increase efficiencies and 

provide more seamless visitor experiences. We continue to engage a diverse array of recreation 

stakeholders to encourage their ongoing input to implement better cooperative recreation management. 

We are increasing access to recreation information by making improvements to Recreation.gov by 

expanding its web-based information and use of other technologies such as smart phone applications. 

These improvements enhance trip-planning and link to local and regional itineraries which also support 

the Executive Order on Establishing Visa and Foreign Visitor Processing Goals and the Task Force on 

Travel and Competitiveness. We are also working with others to begin to identify our gaps in visitor 

information and to leverage resources to conduct market research. This research in the short-term, when 

coupled with our National Visitor Use Monitoring, will illuminate gaps between what domestic and 

international visitors expect and what we are currently offering.

By greening our operations, we reduce our environmental footprint while maintaining a comparable level 

of service to the public and helping to protect recreation opportunities for generations to come. We are 

also working to diversify recreation offerings, including those delivered by special use permittees.

The AGO listening sessions identified peoples’ desire for more user friendly access to their rivers, 

waterways and wild places. In response we work to forge stronger connections between communities and 

Wilderness and Wild and Scenic Rivers using assistance from partner groups. For example, the National 

Wilderness Stewardship Alliance and its members, American Rivers, and others are helping us engage the 

public and implement the Wilderness Character Monitoring protocol and the 10-Year Wilderness 

Stewardship Challenge. The Arthur Carhart Interagency Wilderness Training Center and the Aldo 

Leopold Wilderness Research Institute continues their efforts to provide education and research that 

directly supports ecosystem health, resilience, and restoration of Wilderness and Wild and Scenic Rivers.

Framework for Sustainable Recreation

Launched in January 2011, this guiding tool recognizes that outdoor recreation experiences are the best way to connect 

people to their natural and cultural heritage, promote healthy lifestyles, and provide economic benefits to communities, 

States, and the Nation as a whole. The Forest Service is thus taking a collaborative, community-focused approach to 

recreation to provide environmental integrity, social stability, and economic vitality to communities near the NFS. Under 

this Framework, we will:

Restore recreation settings affected by declining forest health or unmanaged recreation and adapt them to meet 

America’s needs

Integrate services and access to community parks and open spaces, State lands, and the NFS

Forge strategic partnerships with nonprofit organizations, volunteers, the private sector, and other Federal 

providers to integrate resources and operate more efficiently.
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Specific priorities within each activity include:

Manage Recreation Operations: The FY 2013 President’s 

Budget provides funding for Recreation Operations. While 

integrating key concepts of the Framework for Sustainable 

Recreation, we implement national actions identified in the 

Recreation Visitor Safety Report, October 18, 2010 and the 

associated action plan. This includes: conducting analyses 

and recommending appropriate uses and locations for a 

range of recreation activities and facilities, increasing 

oversight to ensure compliance with established standards, 

and developing communications and training about hazards 

to public safety (Projections based on Forest Service 

National Visitor Use Monitoring data).

Implementation of route and area designations for motor vehicle use, reflected on Motor Vehicle 

Use Maps (MVUMs), helps us sustain critical watersheds and ecosystems in the face of climate 

change, and enable us to provide recreation opportunities for Off-Highway Vehicle enthusiasts.

The Forest Service’s Route and Area Designation Implementation Guide identifies four activities 

for focus: Education, Engineering, Enforcement, and Evaluation.

Completing MVUMs has taken longer than anticipated due to the need for more public 

involvement and collaboration. Public controversy, appeals, and litigation has delayed producing 

some MVUMs. As of the end of FY 2011 approximately 77 percent of NFS administrative units 

had completed route and area designations for motor vehicle use. We project nearly all will be 

completed by the end of FY 2012.

We engage stakeholders, youth, and volunteers as we implement the America’s Great Outdoors 

Initiative and the Framework for Sustainable Recreation. Our coordination with Federal, State, 

local agencies, and stakeholders provides efficiencies in planning and delivers improved access to 

recreation opportunities on NFS lands. These efforts support community based outdoor recreation 

and sustainable tourism development, resulting in job creation and economic expansion. We will 

also expand our partnerships and volunteer programs to build inclusive support to restore and 

conserve our resources and improve public access and employment opportunities.

Administer Recreation Special Use Authorizations: The 

FY 2013 President’s Budget provides funds for 

Recreation Special Use Authorizations. The FY 2013 

President’s Budget provides funds for Recreation Special 

Use Authorizations. With these funds we will administer 

to standard approximately 49 percent of our special use 

permits. Special use authorizations are an important tool 

for delivering services on the national forests and 

grasslands, and we anticipate an increase in requests for 

uses on NFS lands in response to the Ski Area 

Recreational Opportunity Enhancement Act of 2011. This 

authority is intended to allow ski resorts on NFS land to offer recreational activities year round. 

The year-long recreation season could sustain up to 600 extra jobs and could raise up to an 

additional $40 million to local communities in direct spending, annually (projections based on 

Forest Service National Visitor Use Monitoring data). 

Recreation Contributes $14.5 Billion 

to National Gross Domestic Product

In 2009, outdoor recreation and tourism, 

including hunting and fishing, 

contributed $14.5 billion dollars and 

223,000 jobs to the economies of 

communities within 50 miles of the 

National Forests and Grasslands. This 

comprises 47 percent of the Forest 

Service’s contribution to the Gross 

Domestic Product.

Supporting 5,000 Outfitters and 

Guides on NFS Lands

Many outfitters and guides are small 

businesses that provide jobs and 

income and help create tourismoriented identities for the local areas in 

which they operate. These permittees 

provide access to public lands which 

many people would not otherwise have.
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In addition to services provided through ski areas, concessionaires operate 54 percent of the 

developed recreation campsites in the NFS, providing needed visitor services and facility 

maintenance within their permit agreements (INFRA data source, also Special Uses database for 

122 ski areas). NFS lands host 122 Alpine ski areas, comprising nearly 60 percent of the skiing 

capacity in the U.S. These ski areas provide jobs and economic stimulation to local communities, 

often as a primary local economic driver. 

Special use authorizations enable thousands of private-sector professionals to lead a broad range 

of activities on NFS lands, from whitewater rafting, horseback riding, and big game hunting, to 

youth education trips in the Wilderness, and even scenic jeep tours. For many Americans, these 

activities represent their first introduction to their public lands. Permittees are encouraged to 

adopt practices that reduce their environmental footprint and adapt activities to meet changing 

climatic conditions. 

Manage Heritage Resources: The 2013 President’s Budget provides funding for the stewardship 

of our heritage and cultural resources. These funds provide for the management of at least 50 

percent of our 114 forest and grassland unit programs to standard (114 of the 155 forests and 20 

grasslands have heritage assets or programs). In FY 2012, we implemented a new performance 

measure. The new Heritage Program Managed to Standard, a comprehensive measure that allows 

us to monitor progress toward a sustainable and balanced Heritage Program. Through analysis of 

several indicators, the new measure is designed to increase public use and support accurate 

reporting and needed stewardship activity to protect, evaluate, and inventory the most significant 

heritage assets in a portfolio of over 340,000 cultural sites. 

The FY 2013 President’s Budget provides for investment of Heritage Resource funding into 

initiatives such as Historicorps and Passport in Time. These programs preserve and sustain 

historic places and resources for public benefit through partnerships that foster public 

involvement, engage volunteers, and provide training and education. By implementing the 

Preserve America Executive Order 13287, we further support local communities by rehabilitating 

significant heritage assets linked to community economic development and sustainable 

operational plans, and we provide useful asset evaluations and inventories for agency, tribal, and 

public benefit.

Manage Wilderness and Wild and Scenic Rivers: The 2013 President’s Budget provides funding

for Wilderness and Wild and Scenic Rivers. These funds allow us to bring an additional 89 

wilderness areas to minimum stewardship levels, above those of FY 2011. This work is a part of 

the 10-year Wilderness Stewardship Challenge. It brings the total minimum stewardship level to 

309, or 70 percent, of designated wilderness areas managed by the Forest Service. This moves us 

forward in achieving a minimal stewardship level for at least 90 percent of all Forest Service 

managed wilderness area by 2014. A total of 44 wild and scenic rivers will meet statutory 

requirements under the Wild and Scenic Rivers Program Agenda. We continue to ensure that 

wilderness and wild and scenic rivers values are addressed as part of agency efforts in response to 

the President’s America Great Outdoors Initiative. In addition, we ensure that wilderness and 

wild and scenic river values are recognized for their contributions to addressing climate change 

and for providing recreation, renewal, subsistence, and employment to surrounding communities. 
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Past Performance

Percentage of NFS lands covered by travel management best plans 

resulting in visitor safety, resource protection using best 

management practices, and less visitor conflict with off-road 

vehicle usage (77 percent of target accomplished). In FY 2011, 

completing motor vehicle use maps (MVUMs) has taken longer 

than anticipated due to the need for more public involvement and 

collaboration. Public controversy, appeals, and litigation has 

delayed producing some MVUMs. Out of 114 units producing 

MVUMs, 86 have completed MVUMs to date and we anticipate 

another 20 units will complete MVUMs in FY 2012. 

Number of wilderness areas managed to minimum stewardship 

level (108 percent of target accomplished). In 

FY 2011, the agency managed a total of 220 wilderness areas to a minimum stewardship level, exceeding 

the target by eight percent. This greater than anticipated gain towards the 10-Year Wilderness 

Stewardship Challenge is attributable to additional national funding provided to support forest grants and 

regional strike teams, as well as supplemental assistance to the National Forest Foundation's Wilderness 

Stewardship Grants program. The most notable gains were accomplished in the Rocky Mountain, 

Southern and Eastern Regions.

Number of wild and scenic river areas meeting statutory requirements (87.5 percent of target 

accomplished). In FY 2011, the agency achieved a total of 42 wild and scenic river areas meeting 

statutory requirements. While this number is consistent with the steady increase we have seen over time, 

it did not meet the higher expectations set by our higher-than-anticipated FY 2010 accomplishment.

Program Description

Program Overview

The NFS offers a vast and diverse range of recreational opportunities across the 193 million acres of 

national forests and grasslands. In FY 2010, the national forests and grasslands hosted approximately 174 

million visits, with increasingly diverse visitors engaging in activities such as camping, picnicking, 

skiing, snowboarding, hunting, fishing, hiking, driving for pleasure, wildlife viewing, scenic driving and 

visiting cultural sites and visitor centers. These recreation opportunities produce significant social and 

economic benefits for the Nation including employment in rural and urban communities. Population 

growth and increasing limited public access to privately-owned land contributes to high demand for 

quality recreation on NFS lands.

The Recreation, Heritage and Wilderness program manages and administers nearly 20,000 recreation 

sites, over 27,900 recreation special use authorizations, 25 major visitor centers, 20 National Historic 

Landmarks, over 322,700 heritage assets, 136 national scenic byways, 439 designated wildernesses, and 

122 wild and scenic rivers. The program is delivered through the following activities:

Manage Recreation Operations: This activity supports the operation of developed sites, such as 

campgrounds, day-use areas, boat ramps, solid waste disposal facilities, and visitor centers; 

general forest areas, including landscape corridors for national trails and scenic byways, snow 

play areas, lakes, streams, and roads; interpretive and educational services; and, dispersed 

recreation activities such as hiking, camping, hunting, fishing, and wildlife and scenic viewing.

Leveraging Volunteer Resources

In FY 2010, approximately 89,000 

volunteers contributed 4,235,000 hours 

equivalent to 1,933 employees valued at 

$88 million, in every resource area. This 

included 40,000 youth and young adults 

between the ages of 15 and 26 who are 

engaged through the FS operated Youth 

Conservation Corps and partnerships 

with conservation corps and other nonprofits organizations.
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This activity also funds sustainable recreation and tourism planning, visitor use management, 

cleaning facilities and sites; providing safety and security measures for visitors and employees; 

conducting prescribed inspections; managing partnerships and volunteers; and providing 

interpretive or educational programs, presentations, and products to visitors. 

Administer Recreation Special Use Authorization: This activity funds the processing of new 

requests for recreation special use permits and administering existing authorizations including 

permits for downhill ski areas, campground management, organization camps, and outfitting and 

guiding. This activity funds responses, analyses, and decisions to proponents and applicants who 

request the use of NFS lands to provide recreation opportunities and benefits to forest visitors.

Activities also include providing inspection, oversight, and monitoring of authorizations issued to 

ensure compliance with the terms and conditions of the authorization. Special use permits make 

many recreational opportunities, which the agency would not be able to provide, possible for the 

public. 

Manage Heritage Resources: This activity supports the protection of significant heritage assets 

and contributes interpretive, educational, site stewardship, and scientific and technical 

information to governmental entities, the public, and tribes. Agency efforts include heritage asset 

rehabilitation, both to reduce deferred maintenance and to provide enhanced opportunities for 

community economic development and tourism. Funded activities include identifying, evaluating, 

protecting, monitoring, and preserving heritage resources, sites and areas; and promoting heritage 

values through interpretation, Passport in Time projects, presentations, and other public 

information and outreach efforts.

Manage Wilderness and Wild and Scenic Rivers: This activity funds the protection and 

management of designated wilderness and wild and scenic rivers. Funded activities include 

evaluating and recommending areas and rivers worthy of addition to the National Wilderness 

Preservation System and the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. Funded activities also 

include managing visitor use and impacts, education and outreach, inventory and monitoring, 

information management, protecting wilderness character for designated wilderness, and 

protecting free-flowing conditions for wild and scenic rivers through collaborative public, private, 

and interagency management.

Allocation and Integration 

Funds are allocated to the regions based on program capability, core operations, and national priorities. 

The allocation process considers past performance and future needs regarding developed recreation site 

use; special use permit processing and administration; priority heritage assets; and management of 

wilderness areas and wild and scenic rivers.

Travel management implementation funds will be allocated to national forests that have completed travel 

management planning; have produced motor vehicle use maps; and have itemized their education, 

enforcement, engineering, and evaluation needs. Also, a portion of the Recreation, Heritage and 

Wilderness funds will be allocated to regions to create non-timber jobs for youth in rural areas, by 

funding restoration activities for historic buildings, installation of recreation/visitor signs, and survey and 

inventory resource needs in wilderness areas, maximizing non-Federal cost-shares.

The recreation and wilderness programs achieve multiple management objectives by integrating with 

other land and resource programs. Examples include joining resources with Capital Improvement and 

Maintenance programs to implement travel management; coordinating with other programs to address 
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interpretation and education needs that connect the American public to nature; identifying and pursuing 

acquisition of needed access with and through the Landownership Management program; coordinating 

with the Integrated Resource Restoration program to complete resource tasks in wilderness areas such as 

invasive species management, air quality monitoring, and prescribed burning; and utilizing Research and 

Development programs to address the effects of climate change on wilderness area attributes.

Partnerships

The public’s use and enjoyment of resources on national forests and grasslands is enhanced through a 

variety of partnerships, including volunteers and non-governmental organizations such as outfitting and 

guiding, ski areas, and campground concessionaires. Maintaining long-standing partners is essential to 

addressing and delivering upon public demands for recreation opportunities. This program consistently 

involves the highest number of volunteers within the agency.

Volunteers contribute significantly to assisting the agency in managing heritage resources, providing 

interpretive services, maintaining trails, and managing youth programs and campgrounds. In addition, the 

agency works with partners at the national level, such as the National Forest Foundation, American 

Rivers, and the River Management Society, to recruit wilderness and wild and scenic river volunteers, and 

with the WILD Foundation on international skill exchanges. We also collaborate with the Departments of 

Transportation, Commerce, and the Interior; States and communities; and other recreation providers to 

improve programs, provide access, and to support social and economic benefits derived from federally 

managed lands.
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Budget Line Item Grazing Management

(dollars in thousands)

FY 2011 

Enacted

FY 2012 

Enacted

FY 2013 

President's 

Budget

Program 

Changes

Percent of 

Program 

Changes

Grazing Management

Annual Appropriations $49,738 $55,356 $40,380 -$14,976 -27%

Grazing Management Total 49,738 55,356 40,380 -14,976 -27%

Annual Appropriations FTEs 401 429 371 -58 -14%

Total Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs) 401 429 371 -58 -14%

Grazing Management

Manage Grazing Allotments 22,431 24,895 17,926 -6,969 -28%

Prepare Grazing Allotment NEPA 27,307 30,461 22,454 -8,007 -26%

FY 2009 

Actual

FY 2010 

Actual

FY 2011 

Target

FY 2011 

Actual

FY 2012 

Target

FY 2013 

Target

Grazing Management

Allotment acres administered to 100% of Forest 

Plan standards 35,774,408 33,113,679 29,420,000 27,132,200 29,845,420 27,000,000

Number of grazing allotments with signed 

decision notices 370 248 460 194 250 125

FY 2013 Program Changes

The FY 2013 President’s Budget proposes $40,380,000 for Grazing Management, a program decrease of 

$14,976,000 from the FY 2012 Enacted. Funding the Grazing Management Program supports two 

primary activities: administering livestock grazing use on approximately 90 million acres of National 

Forest System (NFS) lands and approximately 10 million acres of private land within grazing allotments; 

and completing National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) analysis on grazing allotments in accordance 

with the NEPA schedule established under the provisions of the Rescissions Act of 1995 (P.L. 104-19, 

section 504). In FY 2013 the administration of existing permits will be emphasized.

Benefits from the FY 2013 program of work include: a sustainable supply of forage for livestock and 

wildlife; economic opportunities for rural communities; improved grazing management practices to 

support ecosystem restoration efforts on targeted watersheds; and working landscapes associated with 

open space and habitat connectivity across NFS and other Federal, State, tribal, and private lands.

Specific priorities within each activity include: 

Manage Grazing Allotments: The FY 2013 President’s Budget includes administration of 

27,000,000 acres of grazing allotments to 100 percent of standard, an decrease of 2,845,420 acres 

from FY 2012.

The Allotment Acres Administered to 100 percent of Forest Plan Standards performance measure 

reflects the level of permit administration effort relative to implementing all grazing management 

direction prescribed in land management plans, project level NEPA decisions, grazing permits or 

agreements, and other relevant documents. Administering allotments to standard assures that 

management decisions identified during the NEPA process are implemented, achieve desired 

outcomes, or are adjusted if initial actions are not effective. Although all grazing allotments are 
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administered, priority is placed on administering allotments with known critical resource issues, 

such as management of habitat for endangered species.

Prepare Grazing Allotment NEPA: The FY 2013 President’s Budget provides $13,730,000 to 

complete grazing NEPA analysis and decisions for 125 grazing allotments, a reduction of 125

from the target of 250 allotments for FY 2012. The planned accomplishment level reflects an 

anticipated increase in NEPA analysis unit costs, due to many controversial and complex 

allotments; in need of NEPA and other analysis that remain on the Rescissions Act Schedule.

Effective NEPA analysis and decisions ensure that livestock grazing strategies are designed to 

provide for the restoration and long-term sustainability of rangeland vegetation and dependent 

resources while continuing to provide essential goods and ecosystem services.

Past Performance

Allotment acres administrated to 100 percent of forest plan standards: (92 percent of target 

accomplishment). In FY 2011 the agency administered, 27,132,200 acres to 100 percent of Forest Plan 

Standard. There were several factors that contributed to the shortfall, including shortages in staff 

resources caused by redeployment for administrative work on the Wallow fire and support to other 

restoration work such as Bark Beetle.

Number of grazing allotments with signed decision notices: (42 percent of target accomplished). In FY 

2011, the agency completed NEPA analysis for 194 allotments. Several factors led to the shortfall in 

NEPA accomplishments, including increased complexity of analysis, increased workload associated with 

litigation, and increased costs for comprehensive resource condition and trend data to support decisions.

NEPA allotment planning and management is a dynamic ongoing process that will continue in the future. 

The NEPA national allotment schedule will be published at least every three years to incorporate a new 

three-year planning period and to maintain the nine-year cycle. FY 2011 was the first year of the new 

three-year cycle.

Program Description

Program Overview

The Grazing Management program manages the diverse rangeland resources on approximately 90 million 

acres of NFS lands to maintain a sustainable supply of forage for livestock and wildlife. The program 

seeks to maintain open space and habitat connectivity by linking NFS grazing authorizations to privately 

owned lands managed for agricultural production, and by helping sustain the rural based ranching and 

farming lifestyle. This program’s activities include environmental planning and NEPA compliance for the 

use of grazing allotments, and grazing permit administration. Administration of allotments to 100 percent 

standard also requires both compliance and effective monitoring as identified in individual forest land 

management plans and the allotment specific NEPA decision. By administering grazing permits to 100 

percent of standard, the agency ensures that grazing on NFS lands is managed to facilitate ecosystem 

restoration and maintenance at both the allotment and landscape scale, and that water resources associated 

with grazing allotments are managed for sustained quality and quantity. 

This program is delivered through the following activities:

Manage Grazing Allotments – This activity provides for the administration and monitoring of 

grazing permits and activities. This includes issuance of grazing permits, processing permit 
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transfers, preparation and processing of bills for collection, and the development of annual 

operating instructions. Compliance monitoring determines if the terms and conditions of the 

grazing authorization are being implemented by the grazing permittee. Effectiveness monitoring 

determines whether the evaluated acres meet, do not meet, or are moving towards resource 

objectives identified in the land management plan or other appropriate decision document, and 

allows managers to determine whether additional monitoring or adjustments in management are 

required.

Prepare Grazing Allotment NEPA – Involves all elements of NEPA compliance pertaining to

decisions authorizing grazing on an allotment, including the resolution of appeals and litigation 

associated with these decisions. This activity includes taking inventory of rangeland resource 

conditions; managing public involvement in the decision process; coordinating with Federal, 

State, tribal, and local governments; development of alternatives; analysis of environmental 

effects; and the preparation of NEPA documents. The agency strives to incorporate adaptive 

management into grazing NEPA decisions. Adaptive management strategies are designed to 

maximize management flexibility for the grazing permittee with a concurrent increase in 

accountability for success in meeting desired resource condition on the allotments and across the 

larger landscape. 

Allocation and Integration

Funds are allocated to the field based on the number of term grazing permits, the number of acres in 

active allotments, the amount of scheduled NEPA work, and the number of grazing allotments for which 

the agency made NEPA decisions during the previous three fiscal years. The agency may make additional 

adjustments to reflect regional capability.

The Grazing Management program is closely integrated with the proposed Integrated Resource 

Restoration program. Rangeland vegetation monitoring, funded through the Integrated Resource 

Restoration program, is necessary to determine the health of rangeland ecosystems, as well as to 

determine whether implemented grazing management actions are achieving desired resource conditions.

Data gathered through these monitoring efforts are also used to prepare grazing NEPA analyses and to 

make subsequent decisions for allotment management. 

Partnerships

The agency supplements our capability to accomplish grazing permit administration through a variety of 

partnerships. Grazing permittees may be certified to conduct utilization monitoring, and may provide 

documentation demonstrating compliance with livestock distribution and other management 

requirements. Special interest groups also enter in to agreements with the agency to conduct 

implementation monitoring, often in coordination with the grazing permittee. 
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Budget Line Item Minerals and Geology Management

(dollars in thousands)

FY 2011 

Enacted

FY 2012 

Enacted

FY 2013 

President's 

Budget

Program 

Changes

Percent of 

Program 

Changes

Minerals and Geology Management

Annual Appropriations $83,560 $83,426 $73,351 -$10,075 -12%

Minerals and Geology Management Total 83,560 83,426 73,351 -10,075 -12%

Annual Appropriations FTEs 558 557 506 -51 -9%

Total Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs) 558 557 506 -51 -9%

Minerals and Geology Management

Administer Minerals Operations 30,209 29,356 26,758 -2,598 -9%

Process Mineral Applications 21,527 21,546 19,031 -2,515 -12%

Manage Geologic Resources & Hazards 6,165 6,471 5,594 -877 -14%

AML Safety Risk Mitigated 7,749 7,804 6,854 -950 -12%

Manage Environmental Compliance 1,711 2,003 1,641 -362 -18%

Manage Environmental Restoration 16,199 16,246 13,473 -2,773 -17%

FY 2009 

Actual

FY 2010 

Actual

FY 2011 

Target

FY 2011 

Actual

FY 2012 

Target

FY 2013 

Target

Minerals & Geology Management

Number of mineral operations administered 14,613 15,472 12,100 12,441 12,000 10,824

Number of mineral applications processed 11,187 12,366 9,600 8,350 8,350 7,260

Number of new Applications for Permits to 

Drill (APDs) processed within prescribed 

timeframes 112 274 325 199 210 180

Number of AML safety risk features mitigated 

to "no further action" 519 725 630 418 517 489

Number of administrative units where audits 

were conducted 2 5 2 0 2 6 2 6 2 2 2 1

Number of contaminated sites mitigated 7 5 119 3 5 7 3 5 0 5 0

Number of geologic hazards managed 250 279 281 276 276 240

Number of geologic resources managed 544 566 381 633 600 550

FY 2013 Program Changes 

The FY 2013 President’s Budget proposes $73,351,000 for Minerals and Geology Management, a 

program decrease of $10,075,000 from the FY 2012 Enacted. The program will emphasize environmental 

review of proposed operations, including processing the backlog of oil and gas lease applications. Other 

priorities will include inspection and monitoring of ongoing mineral operations, providing professional 

expertise to ensure watershed health and public safety, and managing significant geologic resources. 

Specific priorities within each activity will include:

Administer Mineral Operations: The FY 2013 President’s Budget proposal funds the 

administration of an estimated 10,824 active mineral operations. The program will emphasize 

meeting minimum administration levels to ensure compliance with operating plan requirements 

and specific environmental standards for the protection of resources.

Process Mineral Applications: The FY 2013 President’s Budget proposal funds processing an 

estimated 7,260 mineral applications. The actual number of applications received in FY 2013 

may vary significantly due to market influences and variable demand for mineral resources from 

NFS lands. The energy component of this activity will continue to focus on increasing 
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opportunities to develop and offer oil and gas, coal, and geothermal resources from Federal lands, 

in support of the Energy Policy Act of 2005. The pilot offices, authorized under the Energy 

Policy Act, will continue to help the agency efficiently process energy leasing and permit 

applications, particularly with respect to eliminating the backlog of oil and gas lease nominations 

and surface use plan of operations (SUPOs) relative to applications for permits to drill (APDs).

Manage Geologic Resources and Hazards: The FY 2013 President’s Budget proposal funds the 

identification and management of an estimated 790 geologic resources and hazards. Managing 

geologic resources provides information on geologic and paleontologic conditions that inform 

land management decisions, project design, and allows us to protect sites that have high scientific 

or educational value. Identifying and managing geologic hazards provides for the safety of the 

public by protecting infrastructure, soil, and groundwater. 

Abandoned Mine Land (AML) – Safety Risk Features Mitigated: The FY 2013 President’s 

Budget proposal funds the mitigation of an estimated 489 abandoned mine sites. The AML 

program specifically focuses on mitigating safety risk features and related activities associated 

with abandoned mines that are likely to cause serious injury or death in high use areas and highpriority watersheds. 

Manage Environmental Compliance: The FY 2013 President’s Budget proposal funds 21

environmental compliance audits, assuring that employee and public health and safety are 

protected through agency compliance with environmental laws and regulations. 

Manage Environmental Restoration: The FY 2013 President’s Budget proposal funds restoration 

activities on 50 known hazardous material sites on NFS lands. Cleanup of contaminated sites is 

critical for the long-term protection of surface and groundwater quality, and contributes to overall 

public and ecological health.

Past Performance

Number of Mineral Operations Administered: (Exceeded target 103 percent). In FY 2011, the agency 

reported 12,441 mineral operations administered to standard. Mineral operations include activities for 

locatable and salable minerals; and non-energy leasable minerals activities on acquired lands and 

approved oil, gas, and geothermal operations. Administering an operation includes all previously 

approved proposals or authorizations through other means; such as a mineral material permit, acceptance 

of a Notice of Intent, an approved Plan of Operation (POO), or prospecting permits. Increases in the 

number of projected accomplishments were largely due to activities that require administration on the 

ground but do not require a new lengthy analysis. 

Number of Mineral Applications Processed: (87 percent of target accomplished).The less than fully 

anticipated accomplishment for mineral applications processed is due, in part, to the decrease in the 

projected number of applications predicted for the year. Applications for locatable minerals are often the 

result of walk-in traffic. These proposals are usually not planned, but instead are brought in by a 

proponent and are subject to the availability of specialists and other resources. Some proposals are not 

processed until the following year. Analyses are often completed during the summer months when the 

lands are clear for access, which is also the season most likely prone to wildfires. Furthermore, conflicting

programmed work and unpredictable safety issues (such as fire) may take precedence for available staff 

and other resources. 
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Number of Geologic Hazards Managed: (96 percent of target accomplished). In 2011, the agency took 

some level of management action on 276 identified geologic hazards. Diligence in identifying, assessing, 

and managing hazards is imperative for safety and health reasons. Reduced budget emphasis on geologic 

hazards will reduce management actions and can increase risk to human health and safety, as well as 

risking damage to infrastructure.

Number of Geologic Resources Managed: (166 percent of target accomplished). In 2011, the agency took 

some level of management action on 633 geologic resources, which includes paleontological sites, caves, 

and other specially managed geologic features. Many of these actions are simple and of short duration. 

Sustained funding is necessary for maintaining conservation and interpretation of special and unique 

features, including paleontological resources and caves, for purposes of ecological sustainability, 

education, scientific discovery, and public enjoyment of public lands. 

Number of Abandoned Mine Land Safety Risk Features Mitigated: (66 percent of target accomplished). 

In FY 2011, the agency mitigated 418 hazardous features including open audits (horizontal mine 

openings) and shafts (vertical mine openings) at abandoned mines resulting in a safer environment for 

visitors and employees on NFS lands. The shortfall in accomplishment was due in part to the unavoidable 

estimation errors that accrue when predicting accomplishment from projects typically three years in 

advance. Estimation errors, resulting in the shortfall, occurred due to the need for advanced planning, 

permitting, and contracting prior to completing construction projects related to abandoned mine land 

safety risk features. Normal variation in workload, weather and availability of resources resulted in target 

completion one year ahead of schedule for some of the projects planned for 2011. 

Number of Contaminated Sites Mitigated: (203 percent of target accomplished). In FY 2011, the agency 

mitigated 73 contaminated hazardous material sites. The increased accomplishment is due, in part, to the 

identification of previously unknown contaminated sites located within ongoing cleanup of project areas 

that were able to be added cost effectively to various projects’ scopes of work, unanticipated cleanups 

such as oil spills, marijuana farms, and meth amphetamine labs. Additionally, partnerships, and 

responsible party settlements contributed to our ability to accomplish more work on the ground. We 

cannot always anticipate when we might receive settlement/cost recovery funds. 

Program Description

Program Overview

The Minerals and Geology Management (MGM) program provides significant contributions to meeting 

the Nation’s energy and mineral needs while providing jobs and protecting National Forest System (NFS) 

watersheds and resources. The Minerals and Geology Management program also provides the technical 

foundation and direction for management of geologic hazards and management and the protection of 

geologic resources. Additionally, the Minerals and Geology Management program mitigates the effects of 

abandoned mines and other contaminated sites on NFS lands; and conducts environmental compliance 

audits to assure our operations are in agreement with environmental laws and requirements to protect 

human health and safety, and the environment. 

Minerals and Energy on NFS lands: Over five million acres of NFS lands are currently leased for oil, 

gas, coal, and phosphate. Approximately 20 percent of the Nation’s coal production and an estimated 

16,000 oil and gas wells are from NFS lands. At any given time, the agency administers and oversees 

operations on approximately 160,000 mining claims, and manages approximately 2,600 mineral material 

sale contracts. Receipts from annual lease rentals, royalties on production, bonus bids for competitive 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

National Forest System 5-38

leases, and mineral material sales vary from year to year, but have recently ranged from $620 to $850 

million per year. 

Of total mineral receipts, 75 percent or 50 percent; (depending on whether production is from acquired or 

Public Domain lands) are returned to the Treasury, amounting to approximately $40 million each year. 

The other 25 percent or 50 percent; again, depending on land status, is returned to the States or counties 

where production occurred. The value of all energy and mineral production from NFS lands typically 

exceeds $6.5 billion per year. In addition to receipts from lease rentals, royalties, bonus bids, and mineral 

material sales returned to the Treasury, States, and counties, mineral and energy development on NFS 

lands support on average over 110,000 jobs, often in areas or communities where employment 

opportunities are limited.

Non-Federal, mostly private, mineral interests are associated with close to 11 million acres of NFS lands. 

In addition to activities associated with federal minerals described above, close to 13,000 oil and gas 

operations and a few other types of mineral development operations are associated with these private 

mineral interests on NFS lands. Small business interests conduct the majority of these operations. Each oil 

and gas well can directly contribute to up to 115 jobs through the life of the well, with about three 

additional indirect jobs associated with each direct job.

Geologic Resources and Hazards on NFS lands: 

Geologic resources include landscapes with unique 

geologic setting, paleontological resources, cave 

systems, and groundwater resources and associated 

groundwater-dependent ecosystems. NFS lands have 

over 1,000 designated special geologic sites and areas, 

with potentially thousands more undesignated sites 

that provide a variety of benefits to the public. In 

many cases, geologic resources, especially those with 

statutory protection, such as paleontological resources, 

caves, and water, require specialized expertise and 

strategies for conservation. Geologic hazards are 

geologic conditions or processes, such as floods, 

landslides, avalanches, earthquakes, volcanoes, and 

naturally occurring hazardous minerals (ex., asbestos, 

radon gas) that present a risk or the potential to 

threaten life, property, or other natural resources.

Hundreds of sites, especially those with high 

recreational value and use, require specialized 

technical assessment, continuous monitoring, and/or 

mitigation to minimize threats to life, health, and 

infrastructure from geologic hazards. Much of the 

technical work required to appropriately manage 

geologic resources and hazards is, or can be, 

accomplished through partnerships. Bat friendly shaft 

closures are used to protect human safety, by 

preventing unauthorized access to dangerous mines, 

while still allowing bats access to valuable roosting 

habitat.

Mill Creek Landslide

The Forest Service partners with agencies such as the 

U.S. Geological Survey to monitor geological 

conditions with the hopes of reducing the damaging 

effects of landslides. Above is the Mill Valley 

landslide in California that blocked Highway 50. 

Caltrans Photo courtesy of Lynn Harrison, Caltrans. 

Following the Mill Creek landslide, monitoring was 

installed to measure landslide conditions and increases 

the ability to support prediction and response 

capabilities.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

National Forest System 5-39

Analysis of available data indicates there may be 27,000 to 39,000 abandoned mines on NFS lands, of 

which 18,000 to 26,000 are abandoned hardrock mines. Of these hardrock mines, 9,000 to 13,000 are past 

producers of valuable minerals, and therefore more likely to require environmental cleanup or safety 

mitigation work. In 1994, the agency estimated that it would cost approximately $2.1 billion and $2.3 

billion respectively, to clean-up hazardous substances and mitigate safety hazards at abandoned mines on 

NFS lands. Since 1998, the agency has mitigated more than 2,000 safety hazards and cleaned up 

hazardous substances at more than 400 sites, with another 150 cleanups in progress. Additionally, the 

agency conducts environmental compliance audits of approximately 20 percent of its administrative units 

annually. The agency emphasizes training and pollution prevention as a means to both achieve and 

maintain environmental compliance. 

The Minerals and Geology Management program is delivered 

through the following activities: 

Administer Mineral Operations – Provides for the inspection, 

oversight, and monitoring of approved mineral operations on 

NFS lands. Administration ensures compliance with 

approved plans, and with State and Federal environmental 

laws and regulations, for the protection of public health and 

safety.

Process Mineral Applications – Provides for the review and 

approval of plans for proposed mineral activities, including 

exploration and development of hardrock minerals under the 

authority of the Mining Act of 1872; coal, oil, gas, and 

geothermal exploration and production under the various 

mineral and geothermal leasing acts; and contracts for the 

extraction of mineral materials such as sand and gravel, by 

the public and local, State, and Federal agencies under the 

Materials Act of 1947. 

World’s Fair Silver Mine 

 

The World’s Fair Silver Mine in Patagonia, Arizona operated intermittently from 1853 through the 1910’s resulting in waste 

rock with elevated levels of arsenic and lead; along with a mine adit (opening) that discharged acidic water with elevated iron. In 

2006 and 2007, the Forest Service cleaned up this site using local contractors and has reduced the long-term environmental 

impacts to the town and nearby Patagonia Lake.

BEFORE AFTER

Administration 

of Mineral Operations. 

Drilling project on a uranium claim in the 

southwest.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

National Forest System 5-40

Manage Geologic Resources and Hazards – Provides assessments of geologic settings and processes for 

land management planning, environmental protection and restoration, and cost-effective management of 

roads, recreation sites, and other infrastructure. Program delivery activities include inventory and 

management of geologic resources such as caves and karst areas, paleontological resources, groundwater, 

and ground water-dependent ecosystems for protection, study, and appropriate use. Activities also include 

identification, assessment, and management of potential risks to public health and safety from geologic 

hazards such as landslides, debris flows, karst collapse features, and naturally occurring hazardous 

minerals (e.g., asbestos).

Mitigate Abandoned Mine Lands (AML) Safety Risk Features

– Provides for the inventory, assessment, and mitigation of 

abandoned mine safety hazards and associated environmental 

damage. This work includes closing underground mine 

openings and vertical shafts; re-contouring open pits, trenches, 

and associated roads; and removing or stabilizing abandoned 

buildings, equipment, and hazardous materials. Wherever 

feasible, AML work minimizes or mitigates adverse effects on 

dependent wildlife and AML-associated cultural and historic 

resources. 

Manage Environmental Compliance – This activity funds a 

national audit and compliance program that assesses Forest 

Service compliance with environmental statutes and trains 

field personnel on compliance and pollution prevention.

Manage Environmental Restoration – This activity provides for the inventory, assessment, and cleanup of 

sites where there is a release, or threat of release, of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant on 

NFS lands. Restoration occurs at both AML and non-AML sites and involves Comprehensive 

Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA) and non-CERCLA authorities. 

Cleanup projects are typically initiated under requirements of CERCLA, Resource Conservation and 

Recovery Act (RCRA), or the Clean Water Act. This restoration helps minimize or eliminate threats to 

human health and the environment. 

Allocation and Integration

Regional allocation criteria for the Minerals and Geology 

Management program include projected workload in 

response to new and ongoing mineral exploration, 

development, production and reclamation activities; 

number of abandoned mines, as well as severity of and 

probability of human contact to abandoned mine hazards; 

projected need for inventory, interpretation, and 

protection of geologic resources; number of required 

environmental audits; and number of nationally 

prioritized environmental cleanup projects. Adjustments 

may be made between regions based on regional 

capability data or to mitigate situations where proposed 

allocations would create undesirable transition effects.

Processing Mineral Applications. 

Forest Service Certified Mineral Examiners 

conduct a valid existing rights evaluation prior to 

processing a proposed mining Plan of Operations 

in a withdrawn area.

Supporting Local Species 

Where appropriate, the agency can use a bat-friendly 

shaft closure that protects human safety while 

allowing bats access to valuable roosting habitat.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

National Forest System 5-41

Integration with other resource programs is a priority that helps the agency facilitate environmentally 

sound mineral development while maintaining and restoring healthy watersheds. This integration is 

designed to ensure compliance with applicable environmental laws and regulations and to minimize 

impacts on natural resources. Integration with other programs also maximizes the achievement of diverse 

resource objectives that are compatible with program activities, such as interpretation of culturally 

significant sites, restoration of water quality, and protection of threatened and endangered species. 

Partnerships 

The Forest Service works in partnership with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to manage the 

Federal minerals on NFS lands. The Secretary of the Department of the Interior, through the BLM, has 

management responsibilities for the Federal mineral estate, including Federal minerals that underlie NFS 

lands. The Forest Service is responsible for the management of surface resources on mineral, oil, and gas 

projects proposed or operating on NFS lands. 

The Forest Service is also developing partnerships with geologic and hydrologic organizations to help 

raise awareness of the importance of applying geologic principles to ensure sound and sustainable 

management of geologic hazards and geologic resources on NFS lands. In addition, these partnerships 

will help improve awareness of the role of NFS lands in supplying ground and surface water to meet 

societal needs. Cooperative partnerships with other government agencies and non-profit organizations 

also supplement appropriated funds to inventory and assess geologic resources and restore streams and 

watersheds. 

Agency emphasis within the environmental compliance and protection (ECAP) and AML activities 

includes cost recovery and efficient and effective use of partnerships to restore and remediate abandoned 

mine lands and disturbed ecosystems. Costs may be recovered when the potentially responsible party is 

identified prior to restoration work. 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

National Forest System 5-42

Budget Line Item Landownership Management

(dollars in thousands)

FY 2011 

Enacted

FY 2012 

Enacted

FY 2013 

President's 

Budget

Program 

Changes

Percent of 

Program 

Changes

Landownership Management

Annual Appropriations $91,765 $85,738 $78,855 -$6,883 -8%

Landownership Management Total 91,765 85,738 78,855 -6,883 -8%

Annual Appropriations FTEs 694 666 631 -35 -5%

Total Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs) 694 666 631 -35 -5%

Landownership Management

Adjust Land Ownership 13,479 12,830 11,091 -1,739 -14%

Protect Land Ownership Title 10,607 9,939 9,101 -838 -8%

Locate Land Boundaries 34,061 31,596 29,862 -1,734 -5%

Administer Land Use Authorizations 21,677 20,391 18,505 -1,886 -9%

Process Land Use Proposals 11,941 10,982 10,296 -686 -6%

FY 2009 

Actual

FY 2010 

Actual

FY 2011 

Target

FY 2011 

Actual

FY 2012 

Target

FY 2013 

Target

Landownership Management

Acres of land adjustments to conserve the 

integrity of undeveloped lands and habitat 

quality 14,691 26,120 63,290 156,081 35,000 30,000

Miles of landownership boundary line 

marked/maintained to standard 4,418 4,804 3,680 3,823 3,400 3,170

Number of land use authorizations administered 

to standard 16,683 17,784 16,200 17,271 16,050 14,850

Number of land use proposals and applications 

processed 4,542 4,341 4,100 4,505 4,175 3,875

FY 2013 Program Changes

The President’s Budget proposes $78,885,000 for Landownership Management, a reduction of 

$6,883,000 from the FY 2012 Enacted. These funds support land restoration needs by providing critical 

boundary work on national forests and grasslands to support the Administration’s initiative on renewable 

energy. The Landownership Management program lays the foundation for other natural resource 

management activities, including integrated resource restoration and energy siting and production.

Specific priorities within each activity include:

Adjust Land Ownership: The FY 2013 President’s Budget proposal includes funds to exchange, 

through acquisition or conveyance, approximately 30,000 acres of National Forest System (NFS) 

land. Land adjustments help improve public access, conserve open space where its loss threatens 

the sustainability of the national forests and grasslands, and protect healthy forested lands and 

watersheds. Land adjustments provide multiple resources restoration and conservation benefits, 

including: facilitating protection of ecosystem services, preserving intact watersheds, and natural 

processes to maintain water quantity and quality. Maintaining these ecosystem services requires 

an integrated, landscape-level approach across land ownerships that can be enhanced through 

land adjustments. Land consolidations also reduce future land management costs, respond to 

urban and community needs, reduce ownership fragmentation, make lands better suited for nonforest management purposes available for other uses, and promote conservation. 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

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Protect Land Ownership Title: The FY 2013 President’s Budget proposal includes funds to 

resolve approximately 2,950 critical land title claims, encroachments, trespass, and other 

unauthorized uses, specifically those that involve litigation, legislation, or are associated with 

tribal land claims. Resolution of these claims secures and protects the interest, rights, title, and 

land and resources of the U.S. and bona fide claimants. We also identify and process critical 

changes in land classifications such as wilderness, roadless, and research natural areas, to protect 

these designated areas. In addition, we anticipate reducing overall costs to resolve title cases by 

improving the processing of title claims through automated data support.

Locate Land Boundaries: The FY 2013 President’s Budget proposal includes funds to mark and 

maintain 3,170 miles of NFS property line as part of priority restoration, watershed protection, 

and other resource management projects. Encroachments and trespass on NFS lands continue to 

grow due to increasing development in the rural landscape and the rapidly expanding Wildland 

Urban Interface. Marking and maintaining property lines helps secure the investments we make in 

natural resource management. Clearly identifying NFS boundaries also provides landownership 

protection, security, and title defense. Leaving property lines unmarked and unmaintained can 

result in expensive and protracted litigation and loss of public lands and public trust. To 

maximize cost efficiencies, we prioritize cooperative and joint land surveys with other agencies 

through challenge cost share and other agreements.

Administer Land Use Authorizations and Process Land Use Proposals: The FY 2013 President’s 

Budget proposal includes funds to administer land use authorizations and funds to process land 

use proposals. The request enables us to process approximately 3,875 land use proposals and 

applications and administer an estimated 14,850 special use authorizations (32 percent of existing 

authorizations) to standard, with primary focus on those authorizations that address critical health 

and safety issues and to increase energy production and transmission. This program supports 

critical energy projects involving energy pipelines, geothermal transmission and hydropower. 

Telecommunication infrastructure is a key component of this activity. Along with other major 

energy projects funded through cost recovery, these land use projects increase the power grid load 

capacity for renewable energy, improve energy reliability, and access to energy generation, and 

advance broadband service serving thousands of communities across the country.

Administering permits to standard helps us to identify potential liabilities and boundary disputes, 

and their associated administrative costs, before they occur. Actively administering permits to 

standard also enables us to identify and return to the Treasury owed revenue by permit holders. 

Administration to standard of energy permits on NFS lands also directly lowers energy costs paid 

by consumers. We can process approximately 3,875 new applications, focusing on those 

associated with statutory rights and energy-related uses. 

Special use authorizations provide the authority for use of Federal lands for a wide variety of 

purposes. These include rights-of-way for roads, pipelines, communication sites, and electric 

transmission and distribution facilities. Processing and authorizing these uses facilitate the 

development and transmission of affordable, reliable energy, support national security and 

economic development; and promote the public health and safety of populations within, or in 

proximity to, national forests and grasslands throughout the country.

Past Performance

Acres of land adjustments to conserve the integrity of undeveloped lands and habitat quality (247 percent 

of target accomplished). In FY 2011, the agency acquired 156,081 acres. This increase over the planned 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

National Forest System 5-44

level was due to the final disposition of a number of major cases: In the Rocky Mountain Region, we 

acquired 19,725 acres in exchange for 16,172 acres due to a mineral exchange which was delayed by five

years for adjudication. In the Southwestern Region, we conveyed out of ownership of 7,139 acres as part 

of the final settlement of San Ildefonso Pueblo case as directed by the Pueblo de San Ildefonso Claims 

Settlement Act of 2005. In the Alaska Region, we surpassed our target due to a native corporation 

selection as part of the Alaska Native Settlement Act.

Miles of land ownership boundary line marked/maintained to standard (104 percent of target 

accomplished). In FY 2011, we marked and maintained to standard 3,823 miles of NFS boundary line, 

slightly above our target due to accurate work planning.

Number of land use authorizations administered to standard (124 percent of target accomplished). In FY 

2011, the agency administered to standard 17,271 authorizations for non-recreation special uses on the 

NFS. Applications for land use permits are dependent on the economic climate and individual applicant 

needs; annual targets, therefore, may not reflect actual workload.

Program Description

Program Overview 

The Landownership Management program enables us to secure and protect approximately 193 million 

acres of lands and interests within the NFS and ensures that we carry out and return economically 

valuable public services and benefits from those lands. Through this program, the agency supports the 

public interest both as a Federal landowner and as a neighbor and member of local communities across 

the Nation. Landownership management is a critical component to effectively carry out agency and 

national priorities, funding the acquisition of lands to consolidate aquatic and terrestrial habitats and fire 

buffers, legal protection of watersheds that serve as natural reservoirs for water supplies, identification 

and administration of energy corridors, and many other economically and environmentally valuable land 

uses. Legally defensible boundaries and records are essential to implement any type of land management 

activity, from timber sales to habitat management to exploration for energy or gas production. Without 

the certainty of legally defensible boundaries, Federal investments on NFS lands are often subject to 

expensive and time-consuming legal disputes. 

Some of the uses and activities we facilitate include:

Purchasing land to protect critical resource areas and to increase public recreation opportunities

Authorizing a powerline to provide electricity to a community

Ensuring that a hydroelectric project protects riparian areas on a national forest or grassland

Exchanging and conveying lands to achieve a desired NFS landownership pattern that supports 

forest land and resource goals and objectives 

Conveying administrative sites to allow the agency to realign and enhance its asset portfolio

Surveying national forest boundaries to identify and protect private and public lands 

Determining the market value of lands purchased, exchanged, or conveyed 

Authorizing a right-of-way for a road to a private home within a national forest 

Accepting donations of land to protect archeological or historical sites 

Maintaining records of NFS land areas, transactions, status, permitted uses, and easements 

Securing public road and trail access to existing NFS lands
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

National Forest System 5-45

The program is delivered through the following activities: 

Adjust Land Ownership – This activity supports landscape scale management by consolidating 

ownership patterns, creating more contiguous habitat and consistent management for public and 

wildlife benefits. Improved efficiency of land management, through this activity, allows the 

agency to meet public access needs, reduce intermingled ownership, reduce boundary 

maintenance, ease fire protection and law enforcement control, ease road maintenance, and 

minimize trespass and encroachment cases. Land ownership adjustment is carried out principally 

through exchanges, purchases, conveyances, and rights-of-way acquisitions. Case processing 

involves site analysis, title review, legal description verification, appraisal and deed execution.

Protect Land Ownership Title – This activity funds title defense and resolution activities affecting 

landownership activities related to land title claims, tribal claims, trespass, encroachments, other 

unauthorized uses, land sales, and grants and selections; including work associated with land title 

claim identification, inventory, and investigation. This activity also includes managing the land 

status record system which provides legally defensible boundaries and accurate, complete 

landownership records of NFS lands.

Locate Land Boundaries –This activity provides professional land surveying services, including 

property boundary surveys, locating and marking NFS property lines and administrative boundary 

lines, boundary and property corner maintenance and perpetuation, legal land description 

preparation and review, land title research, expert witness testimony, and geospatial and geodetic 

services, in order to protect the title, land ownership, and use of the public estate. The Forest 

Service has 276,000 miles of property line, of which over 33,000 miles (12 percent) are currently 

marked to Forest Service standards.

Administer Land Uses Authorizations – This activity allows the program to administer 

approximately 47,200 land use authorizations annually for a wide variety of purposes, including 

rights-of-way for roads, pipelines, communication and navigation sites, and electric transmission 

and distribution facilities. Such permitted uses on NFS lands directly support jobs, particularly in 

rural communities where the agency is a major landowner. The program funds inspection, 

oversight, and monitoring of existing non-recreation Special Use authorizations to ensure 

compliance with the terms and conditions of the authorization while ensuring the health and 

safety of the public; protection of the environment; compliance with Federal, State, and local laws 

and regulations; and protection of the interests of the U.S. 

Process Land Use Proposals – This activity provides for responses, analyses, and decisions 

support for requests to occupy and use NFS lands for non-recreational purposes. Many of these 

land uses include roads, communications sites, hydropower facilities, oil and gas pipelines, 

electric transmission lines, and other energy related uses to facilitate the delivery of reliable 

energy resources and communication links. 

Allocation and Integration 

Funds are allocated to the regions based on regional program capability, core operations support, and 

national priorities. The allocation process considers past performance and future needs regarding property 

line maintenance, acquisition or conveyance of NFS land; special use permit administration and 

management; and title protection. 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

National Forest System 5-46

The agency marks and maintains NFS property lines and protects forest resources in support of other land 

and resource management priorities. Boundary management resources are allocated directly to areas of 

increasing demand, such as integrated resource restoration, timber sales, energy development, and to 

protect congressionally designated management areas such as wilderness. Not meeting critical land and 

resource management needs can result in trespasses, encroachments, title claims, expensive and 

protracted litigation, and loss of public lands, as well as damage or destruction of special areas, plants, 

fish, and wildlife.

Partnerships 

The agency cooperates with many other Federal agencies such as the Bureau of Land Management, the 

National Park Service, and the Department of Defense; State agencies; interagency working groups; local 

and tribal governments; non-Federal exchange parties; and private landowners. The program identifies 

and secures cost-share and partnership opportunities in order to eliminate or reduce redundant efforts, 

such as leveraging funds to secure high-priority resource lands for public access and resource protection.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

National Forest System 5-47

Budget Line Item Law Enforcement Operations

(dollars in thousands)

FY 2011 

Enacted

FY 2012 

Enacted

FY 2013 

President's 

Budget

Program 

Changes

Percent of 

Program 

Changes

Law Enforcement Operations

Annual Appropriations $144,254 $143,829 $140,041 -$3,788 -3%

Law Enforcement Operations Total 144,254 143,829 140,041 -3,788 -3%

Annual Appropriations FTEs 859 857 817 -40 -5%

Total Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs) 859 857 817 -40 -5%

Law Enforcement Operations

Enforce Laws & Regulations 95,189 94,926 92,443 -2,483 -3%

Investigate Crime 49,065 48,903 47,598 -1,305 -3%

FY 2009 

Actual

FY 2010 

Actual

FY 2011 

Target

FY 2011 

Actual

FY 2012 

Target

FY 2013 

Target

Law Enforcement Operations

Percent of cases referred for adjudication 8.3% 6.9% 8.3% 7.5% 6.8% 6.7%

Number of documented law enforcement 

incidents per 10,000 forest visits 7.6 7.1 7.6 6.5 7.0 6.4

FY 2013 Program Changes

The FY 2013 President’s Budget proposes $140,041,000 for Law Enforcement and Investigations (LEI), 

a decrease of $3,788,000 from the FY 2012 Enacted. LEI will continue to prioritize response to 

emergency and life-threatening situations. LEI will also continue crime prevention with the National 

Sherriff’s Association through the use of Cooperative Law Enforcement Agreements, at a reduced level. 

In support of the National Fire Plan, LEI prioritizes arson investigations. LEI will also continue to combat 

the activities of drug trafficking organizations along the Southwest and Northern borders. LEI efforts 

focusing on California will address the cultivation of marijuana on the National Forest System lands. 

Enforce Law and Regulations: The FY 2013 President’s Budget request of $92,443,000 funds uniform 

patrol presence to protect natural resources, Forest Service employees, and the public and respond to 

safety incidents and violations of law and regulations. 

Investigate Crime: The FY 2013 President’s Budget proposal of $47,598,000 funds criminal and civil 

investigations for arson, drug possession, theft and assaults. 

Drug Trafficking Organizations (DTOs) have been identified 

as the key producer of marijuana on NFS lands. DTO 

activities have been confirmed on 63 national forests in 16 

States.

In FY 2013, LEI estimates 6.7 percent of cases will be 

referred for adjudication and the number of documented law 

enforcement incidents per 10,000 forest visits will be 6.4.

Drug Eradication on the Shasta Trinity NF

The Shasta Trinity National Forest 

successfully eradicated 411,830 plants of 

marijuana and made 19 associated arrests 

during FY 2011. The Forest Service Law 

Enforcement organization partnered with 

Siskiyou, Humboldt, Shasta, Trinity, 

Maricopa, and Tehama counties and other 

Federal law enforcement agencies to combat 

drug cartel activities on the Forest.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

National Forest System 5-48

Past Performance

In FY 2011, 7.5 percent of cases were referred for adjudication. The percent of documented law 

enforcement incidents per 10,000 forest visits was 6.5 percent compared to a target of 7.6 percent. 

Program Description

Program Overview

The Forest Service LEI program is charged with providing a safe environment for the public, our 

employees and protecting the Nation’s natural resources on approximately 193 million acres of National 

Forest System lands in 44 States. LEI staff cooperate with Federal, State, and local law enforcement 

agencies and other Forest Service programs in support of this mission. Increasing population growth in 

the Wildland Urban Interface, increasing popularity of NFS lands for motorized recreational use, and 

illegal occupancy of NFS lands cause significant impacts to NFS lands and resources and increase risks to 

public and employee health and safety.

This program performs the following two activities:

Enforce Laws & Regulations: Includes uniformed patrol presence and response to public and 

employee safety incidents and violations of law and regulations. Common incidents on national 

forests include theft, assault, alcohol and drug use, unauthorized motor vehicle use, illegal 

occupancy, trespassing, and resource protection patrols. 

Cultivation activities produce large amounts of trash and hazardous materials which are typically 

left on NFS lands. Growers frequently damage soils, cut timber and clear vegetation to create 

room for their crops creating resource damage and erosion problems and have assaulted and 

threatened Forest Service employees with violence. To protect Forest Service law enforcement 

officers carry firearms, and defensive equipment, make arrests, execute search warrants, complete 

reports, and testify in court. They establish a regular and recurring presence on a vast amount of 

public lands, roads, and recreation sites. The regulations Law Enforcement Officers enforce 

include 36 Code of Federal Regulations Parts 242 & 261. Part 242 of 36 CFR refers specifically 

to subsistence hunting and fishing regulations and is only applicable to Federal land in Alaska. 

Part 261 of 36 CFR refers to regulations that apply to all National Forest lands nationwide. The 

primary focus of their jobs is the protection of natural resources, protection of Forest Service 

employees and the protection of visitors.

Investigate Crime: Covers criminal and civil investigations of both internal and external cases 

such as felony arson, drug possession, smuggling and manufacturing, thefts, and assaults.

Drug Trafficking Organizations (DTOs) have been identified as the key producer of marijuana on 

NFS lands. DTO activities have been confirmed on 63 National Forests in Regions 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 

8 and 9. Of the marijuana grown on Federal public lands, 83 percent is on NFS lands. Illegal 

ground importation and trafficking on or near national forest lands of immigrants, drugs, weapons 

and other contraband, and illegal exportation of weapons and illicit cash profits create ongoing 

and imminent threats to the personal safety of employees and the visiting public. Special Agents 

plan and conduct investigations concerning possible violations of criminal and administrative 

provisions of the Forest Service and other statues under the U.S.C. These normally plain clothes 

officers carry concealed firearms and other defensive equipment, make arrests, carry out complex 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

National Forest System 5-49

criminal investigations, present cases for prosecution to U.S. Attorneys, and prepare investigative 

reports.

Allocation and Integration

Funding allocations support core operations and address priority needs, based on competitive regional 

criteria including number of visitors and acreage of NFS lands. In addition to public safety, priority is 

placed on responding to activity by drug trafficking organizations.

Partnerships

LEI staff cooperate with Federal, State, and local law enforcement agencies and other Forest Service 

programs by building strong relationships with sheriff’s offices, State police agencies, and Federal 

agencies such as the Drug Enforcement Agency; Federal Bureau of Investigation; Bureau of Alcohol, 

Tobacco, and Firearms; the Office of the U.S. Attorney, the Federal Court System; and other Federal land 

management agencies.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

National Forest System 5-50

Budget Line Item Valles Caldera National Preserve

(dollars in thousands)

FY 2011 

Enacted

FY 2012 

Enacted

FY 2013 

President's 

Budget

Program 

Changes

Percent of 

Program 

Changes

Valles Caldera National Preserve

Annual Appropriations $3,432 $3,426 0 -$3,426 -100%

Valles Caldera National Preserve Total 3,432 3,426 0 -3,426 -100%

Annual Appropriations FTEs 1 1 1 0 0%

Total Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs) 1 1 1 0 0%

FY 2013 Program Changes

The FY 2013 President’s Budget does not propose a separate funding level for management of the Valles 

Caldera National Preserve. This program will maintain in FY 2013 from a variety of budget lines that are 

directly relevant to the work being completed. Funds support the integrated program management 

objectives continued funding of the Preserve.

This also allows the Valles Caldera Trust (Trust) to maintain Preserve operations, and continue progress 

toward meeting the goal of becoming financially self-sustaining by the end of FY 2015. Continued 

investment in the Preserve allows the agency and the Trust to protect and preserve for future generations 

the scientific, scenic, historical, and natural values of this unique land area. Continued investment also 

allows the Trust to fully apply the idea of managing public land in a transparent and financially selfsustaining manner.

Past Performance

In FY 2011, the Trust’s focus was on keeping the Preserve open year round and offering additional 

recreation and education programs and activities which contributed to a dramatic increase in public 

participation from FY 2010. Public programs included hunting, fishing, hiking, van tours, environmental 

education, along with winter programs, and special events. Total revenue generated from these recreation 

programs totaled $647,479. In 2011, the Trust issued a request for proposals to conduct an ecologically 

and economically viable livestock operation on the Preserve. This program also contributes revenue 

towards management of the Preserve’s resources.

The Valles Caldera National Preserve continues with two major planning efforts to complete the two 

associated environmental impact statements (EISs) in 2012. The two EIS’s are the Valles Caldera 

National Preserve Public Access and Use Plan and the Valles Caldera National Preserve Landscape 

Restoration and Management Plan.

Program Description

Program Overview

The Valles Caldera Preservation Act of July 25, 2000 (Public Law 106-248) provided for the acquisition 

of the Baca Ranch, located in the Jemez Mountains of New Mexico. The Act designated the Baca Ranch 

as the Valles Caldera National Preserve and provides for the management of the 88,900-acre tract as a 

unit of the National Forest System. The Preserve was established to protect various natural resources 

within its boundaries, and for providing multiple-use and sustained-yield of renewable resources. In 

addition, the Act requires the tract to continue to be managed as an operating ranch.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

National Forest System 5-51

The Act requires management of the Preserve by the Trust, a government corporation subject to the 

Government Corporation Control Act. A nine-member Board is responsible for the protection and 

development of the Valles Caldera National Preserve. Seven of its members are appointed by the 

President of the U.S. In addition, the current Superintendent of nearby Bandelier National Monument and 

the Forest Supervisor of the Santa Fe National Forest also serve on the Board. All Board decisions are 

made at public meetings. In August of 2002, the management authority for the Preserve was transferred to 

the Trust. 

Allocation and Integration

Funding for the Trust contributes to the management of the Valles Caldera National Preserve’s resources 

to protect grasslands, watersheds, and forest vegetation through the practice of sound range, watershed, 

and forest management. The Valles Caldera program also supports recreation opportunities as well as 

protecting and interpreting cultural and historic resources.

The Valles Caldera National Preserve program is delivered through the following activities:

Inventory, Monitoring, and Research – This activity includes the inventory, monitoring, and 

research of natural and cultural resources, such as vegetation, animals, soils, geologic formations, 

water resources, archaeological resources, and historic resources. These activities provide 

information for adaptive management of Preserve resources and for preparation of environmental 

documents.

Ecosystem Management – The program emphasis is to restore the resilience and adaptive capacity 

of the preserve’s forest and grassland systems by thinning forests, managing wildland fires, and 

eradicating or controlling the spread of noxious weeds. The program also promotes to increasing 

soil, riparian, and wetland resilience and reducing erosion by closing, decommissioning, and 

maintaining roads; rehabilitating the Preserve’s wetlands, geothermal exploration areas, log 

landing sites, aggregate pit source sites, and other historic infrastructure created in support of 

logging, grazing and geothermal development. This Preserve’s focus includes reestablishing 

vegetation and otherwise stabilizing stream banks; and restoring historic stream flows. Stabilizing 

stream banks also includes the management of domestic livestock grazing on the Preserve.

Recreation and Special Use Management – This activity provides for the management of 

recreation and education programs, special use authorizations, and management of volunteers. 

This includes providing interpretive activities; reservation services for activities and special 

events; establishment and management of day-use programs, such as, fishing, elk hunting, guided 

and unguided hiking, horseback riding, and winter sports; authorizing special uses for commercial 

filming and photography; special events such as mountain bike rides, marathons, celestial and 

solar viewing, and group tours; and uses by Native Americans for religious and cultural purposes. 

Infrastructure Management – This activity includes the inventory, evaluation, planning, 

programming, and management actions related to occupancy, maintenance and improvement of 

buildings, water and wastewater systems, communication facilities, roads, trails, signing, and 

ranch infrastructure, such as corrals, fences, and earthen tanks. Evaluation includes determining 

the condition and effectiveness of the facility. Planning includes forecasting the development, 

disposal, and major alterations and renovations necessary to preserve or restore the functionality 

of the facility. This includes the use and daily maintenance of the Valle Grande Staging area, 

which is a self-sustainable contact station, used for visitor contact and information. 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

National Forest System 5-52

Partnerships

The Preserve benefits from monetary as well as non-monetary contributions. Non-monetary contributions 

include time and expertise contributed by our many volunteers. In 2011, the Trust increased volunteer 

hours from total hours in 2010. These volunteers assisted with many of the recreation programs, along 

with wetland restoration projects throughout the year. 

Extramural funding refers to money invested in projects; mostly research, inventory, and monitoring, 

conducted on the Preserve by outside agencies and organizations. The continuing objective for the Trust 

is to encourage scientific activities on the Preserve. Indicators for science community interest in studying 

the Valles Caldera National Preserve can be gleaned from the number of projects conducted, the amount 

of funding generated to support these projects, and the number of publications and presentations resulting 

from the research. Current funding from outside (non-VCT) sources came from 44 different project 

sources, and exceeded $4.0 million. These funds contributed to the regional economy through personnel 

salaries, purchasing of equipment and supplies, travel, contracts, and educational stipends; and all of these 

transactions generate tax revenues for the local, State and Federal governments. More importantly, the 

information gleaned from these studies is being used to advise managers on how best to apply 

manipulative actions on the ground – forest thinning prescriptions, use of fire, distributions of livestock, 

predator impacts on elk populations, fisheries management, etc.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

National Forest System 5-53

Appropriation Subsistence Management

(dollars in thousands)

FY 2011 

Enacted

FY 2012 

Enacted

FY 2013 

President's 

Budget

Program 

Changes

Percent of 

Program 

Changes

Subsistence Management

Annual Appropriations 0 0 $2,000 $2,000 0%

Subsistence Management Total 0 0 2,000 2,000 0%

Annual Appropriation FTEs 0 0 14 14 0%

Total Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs) 0 0 14 14 0%

Subsistence Management

Subsistence Management 0 0 2,000 2,000 0%

FY 2013 Program Changes 

The FY 2013 President’s Budget proposes to fund Management of National Forest Lands for Subsistence 

at $2,000,000, a net program decrease of $573,000 from the FY 2012 Enacted. This proposal moves this 

program from the Other Appropriations to National Forest System Appropriation. The Forest Service 

continues to meet our responsibilities under the 1980 Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act 

(ANILCA). The net amount was calculated using the combined totals from FY 2012 as illustrated in the 

table below. 

Management of National Forest Lands for Subsistence Uses 

(dollars in thousands)

Approp. Budget Line Item

FY 2011

Enacted

FY 2012 

Enacted Change

FY 2013 

Pres Bud

NFS Management of National Forest 

Lands for Subsistence Uses

$2,000 $2,000 

Other Management of National Forest 

Lands for Subsistence Uses

2,577 2,573 (2,573)

Total $2,577 $2,573 ($573) $2,000 

Past Performance

Past performance includes activities accomplished using both Management of National Forest Lands for 

Subsistence funds and other NFS funds that complement the objectives of this program. In FY 2011, the 

Forest Service completed 44 management analyses specific to the national forests in Alaska. The agency 

also participated in rulemaking with Department of the Interior agencies across all of the Federal public 

lands in the State. In addition, the agency oversaw nine salmon stock assessments, one survey for the 

eulachon (a small anadromous fish), and six population surveys for game species. Most monitoring was 

implemented through contracts and agreements, which supported about 45 local jobs in rural 

communities, with tribal and other local organizations, and with the State of Alaska. Law enforcement 

personnel spent 5,782 hours conducting fish and wildlife enforcement and education activities, and 

investigated about 140 fish and wildlife cases, resulting in 19 warnings and 37 citations. Only three 

special emphasis patrols were conducted due to travel restrictions. 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

National Forest System 5-54

Program Description

Program Overview

The Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (16 U.S.C. 3101, ANILCA) provides rural Alaskan 

residents a subsistence priority to harvest fish and wildlife on Federal lands over sport and commercial 

uses. The Act authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to issue regulations relevant to the taking of fish 

and wildlife on public lands in the State of Alaska. The ANILCA envisioned that the State of Alaska 

would manage for this rural priority, as was the case for 10 years. However, the statute was found to 

conflict with the Alaska State Constitution, which prohibits granting subsistence priority to only rural 

residents. As a result, the Federal government assumed responsibility for subsistence management on 

Federal public lands in 1990 and expanded its responsibility to Federally-reserved navigable waters in 

Alaska in 1999. 

The Subsistence program is delivered through the following activities:

Regulatory – This activity includes an annual cycle of rule promulgation for harvesting fish and 

wildlife, in-season actions to address immediate conservation issues, and administration of 

harvest permits to manage use. The Alaska Regional Forester serves on the inter-agency Federal 

Subsistence Board, and is delegated to act for the Secretary of Agriculture for all aspects of the 

Federal interagency program. Federal subsistence hunting and fishing regulations must be 

reviewed annually to ensure a sustained supply of wild food resources. The Forest Service 

receives up to 60 proposed changes to the existing regulations annually. The Board often 

addresses more than 150 total requests.

Information gathering – This activity includes fish and wildlife monitoring necessary for 

regulatory purposes and to ensure the conservation of fish and wildlife. Most monitoring is 

implemented through contracts and agreements, providing local jobs in rural communities with 

tribal and other local organizations. Collection and analysis of critical information is used to 

substantiate which regulatory changes should be implemented, and justification for those which 

cannot be supported. Monitoring information can also lead to emergency actions to curtail harvest 

in-season, to assure conservation of viable populations.

Law enforcement and education – This activity includes enforcement of Federal regulations for 

the taking of fish and wildlife on 22 million acres, approximately 75 waterways and navigable 

lakes, and areas of the Prince William Sound. It also includes education of subsistence users and 

others to reduce the need for enforcement action. Enforcement of Federal subsistence hunting 

and fishing regulations requires protecting the subsistence priority and conserving healthy fish 

and wildlife populations.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Capital Improvement and Maintenance 6-1

Appropriation Capital Improvement and Maintenance

(dollars in thousands)

FY 2011 

Enacted

FY 2012 

Enacted

FY 2013 

President's 

Budget

Program 

Changes

Percent of 

Program 

Changes

Capital Improvement and Maintenance

Annual Appropriations $472,644 $394,089 $346,379 -$47,710 -12%

Capital Improvement and Maintenance Total 472,644 394,089 346,379 -47,710 -12%

Annual Appropriation FTEs 2,858 2,591 2,321 -270 -10%

Recovery Act FTEs 0 0 0 0 0%

Total Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs) 2,858 2,591 2,321 -270 -10%

Capital Improvement and Maintenance

Facilities 135,000 75,664 99,463 23,799 31%

Roads 195,195 182,525 157,818 -24,707 -14%

Trails 88,381 81,851 81,985 134 0%

Deferred Maintenance and Infrastructure Improvement 9,158 9,121 7,113 -2,008 -22%

Legacy Roads and Trails 44,910 44,928 0 -44,928 -100%

Capital Improvement and Maintenance Overview 

The FY 2013 President’s Budget proposes $346,379,000 for Capital Improvement and Maintenance, a 

decrease of $47,710,000 from the FY 2012 Enacted. This proposal shifts activities previously conducted 

under the Roads, and Legacy Roads and Trails program to the Integrated Resource Restoration program 

under the National Forest System appropriation. 

In an effort to manage Forest Service lands in a consistent manner with the America’s Great Outdoors 

Initiative, a portion of the Forest Service roads funding will be used to cost-effectively address the roads 

maintenance backlog. Infrastructure and management enables the Forest Service to supply goods and 

services to the American public, while helping meet critical resource needs. Maintaining the National 

Forest Road System, an integral part of the rural transportation network. Capital Improvement and 

Maintenance activities help to preserve high-quality recreation opportunities, quality facilities, roads, and 

trails affords the public opportunities to interact with nature and support a wide range of tourism and 

infrastructure-related jobs. 

Funds will be prioritized to provide infrastructure that supports public, administrative, and recreation 

uses. Priority for Facilities funding will be placed on repairing and improving those facilities —including 

buildings, water and wastewater systems, dams, and recreation sites —that receive public use and are 

critical to supporting agency operations.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Capital Improvement and Maintenance 6-2

Budget Line Item Facilities

(dollars in thousands)

FY 2011 

Enacted

FY 2012 

Enacted

FY 2013 

President's 

Budget

Program 

Changes

Percent of 

Program 

Changes

Facilities

Annual Appropriations $135,000 $75,664 $99,463 $23,799 31%

Facilities Total 135,000 75,664 99,463 23,799 31%

Annual Appropriations FTEs 591 410 460 50 12%

Total Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs) 591 410 460 50 12%

Facilities

Maintain Facilities 112,629 60,524 81,189 20,665 34%

Improve Facilities 22,371 15,140 18,274 3,134 21%

FY 2009 

Actual

FY 2010 

Actual

FY 2011 

Target

FY 2011 

Actual

FY 2012 

Target

FY 2013 

Target

Facilities

Facilities condition index 87% 85% 86% 85% 81% 83%

Percent of facilities with "Good" or "Fair" 

condition rating 66% 64% 65% 63% 60% 63%

Number of outdoor recreation facilities 

maintained to standard 10,533 10,812 11,325 11,480 10,000 10,000

FA&O facilities maintained to standard 11,457 10,911 10,900 10,541 10,100 10,150

FY 2013 Program Changes

The FY 2013 President’s Budget proposes $99,463,000 for Facilities, a program increase of $23,799,000

from the FY 2012 Enacted. Program priority supports the safety and health of all users of our existing 

infrastructure and to judiciously defer all new construction, including phased projects that include new 

construction, when other cost effective and reasonable options exist. Emphasis will be placed on facilities 

that receive public use and are critical to supporting agency operations. These facilities include buildings, 

water and wastewater systems, dams, telecommunication facilities, towers, and recreation sites. The table 

at the end of this section provides a list of major projects costing more than $250,000. 

Specific priorities within each activity include:

Maintain Facilities: The FY 2013 President’s Budget 

funds the maintenance of fire, administrative and 

other facilities (FA&O); along with recreation 

facilities and sites. Agency priority is to provide safe 

and healthful environments for all users that are in 

compliance with all applicable regulations and codes. 

We will concentrate first on facilities that house 

employees for long periods of time, store missioncritical equipment, and provide unique recreation 

experiences. Other priorities the agency will address 

when possible include reducing deferred maintenance 

and making our facilities more sustainable.

Innovative Facility Maintenance

We decreased maintenance by using precast 

concrete toilets with adjoining change 

rooms. 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Capital Improvement and Maintenance 6-3

Improve Facilities: The FY 2013 President’s Budget funds the improvement of facilities. Agency 

priorities include replacing or renovating obsolete facilities and recreation sites that are critical to 

the agency mission, receive the highest use by the public and agency personnel, and are in the 

worst physical condition. New and replacement administrative facilities owned by the Forest 

Service greater than 10,000 gross square feet (GSF) are required to meet Silver Leadership in 

Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) specifications ensuring facilities are constructed to be 

energy efficient and optimize the use of renewable resources. All other buildings, whether new or 

major renovations, must be designed to incorporate sustainable principles into the systems and 

components appropriate to the building type and project scope.

Past Performance

From 2004 through 2010, the agency reduced its total number of buildings from 41,296 to 40,433 and the 

total square footage of its facilities by nearly 2.4 million square feet. The agency continues to make 

significant progress in reducing its facilities footprint. 

Number of outdoor recreation facilities maintained to 

standard: 101 percent of target accomplished. In FY 2011, 

the agency maintained 11,480 recreation sites to standard, or 

65 percent of the total recreation sites. We also began 

implementing a system-wide recreation visitor safety 

assessment and action plan identifying areas needing 

possible site revision, relocation or other associated safety 

modifications.

Number of FA&O facilities maintained to standard: 96.7 

percent of target accomplished. The agency maintained 

10,541 administrative facilities to standard, which is 

approximately 69 percent of the total FA&O facilities. In FY 2011, maintenance activities were focused 

on the most critical health and safety needs and higher cost maintenance needs. The agency focused work 

on those facilities where employees are housed and facilities that provide for interactions with the public; 

including visitor centers, recreation facilities, and administrative offices that issue permits, sell maps, and 

provide general information to the public.

Innovative Facility Maintenance

We increased efficiency by combining

Warehouse and Shop facilities that support 

many agency activities.

Camping Through Generations

Forest Service campgrounds and other developed recreation sites are funded through Capital 

Improvement and Maintenance - Facilities. These sites offer families and other visitors low-cost 

opportunities to camp, swim, fish, and enjoy the outdoors. Maintenance at these sites includes replacing 

fixtures in the bathhouses, maintaining campsites and picnic shelters to improve visitors’ experiences.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Capital Improvement and Maintenance 6-4

Program Description

Program Overview

Flexibility to consider a full range of engineering tools is essential to continue to efficiently and costeffectively modernize services that the Forest Service provides to the American public, while also 

responsibly reducing the agency’s facilities footprint. Engineering staff provide effective delivery of 

services to protect human safety, provide cost effective facilities, increase workforce efficiency, eliminate 

excessively high lease costs, modernize recreational facilities, effectively maintain and decommission 

roads, and demonstrate leadership in environmental sustainability.

The Facilities program supports agency mission activities by administering facilities and sites used for 

recreation, research, and fire, administrative and other (FA&O) purposes. FA&O facilities include fire 

facilities, such as airtanker bases, lookouts, airports, heliports, and fire management centers; 

administrative facilities, such as administrative offices (ranger district offices, forest supervisor offices, 

regional offices, research stations and laboratories), and service and storage buildings; and other facilities, 

such as telecommunication facilities, towers, dams, and recreation visitor centers. This program includes 

carrying out maintenance, capital improvement, and management on nearly 20,000 recreation sites and 

approximately 23,100 research, recreation, and other administrative buildings. The condition of 

administrative facilities ranges from poor to good, with approximately 35 percent needing major repairs 

or renovation, approximately 14 percent in fair condition; and 51 percent of the facilities in good 

condition. 

The Facilities program consists of two activities. The terms ―Capital Improvement‖ and ―Maintenance‖ 

are used as defined by the Federal Accounting Standards Advisory Board (FASAB) Accounting 

Standards No. 6 (GPO # 041-001-00462-9).

Maintain Facilities – Maintenance is defined as the act of keeping fixed assets in acceptable 

condition. It includes repairs, preventive maintenance, replacement of parts and structural 

components. Maintenance projects for recreation developed sites, such as campgrounds and dayuse sites, and FA&O facilities projects greater than $250,000 are funded within this activity, 

while projects less than $250,000 are funded by Cost Pool 9. Maintenance excludes operation 

costs. The maintenance of facilities is essential to prevent a potential risk to public or employee 

safety or health, compliance with codes, standards and regulations, to reduce energy and water 

consumption across the agency, and to create a sustainable network of facilities that meet Forest 

Service needs while reducing their environmental impact.

Improve Facilities – This activity includes capital improvement projects for FA&O and recreation 

sites. Capital improvements include construction of new facilities, alteration of existing facilities 

to change function, and expansion of facilities to change capacity to meet needs that are different 

from the original intent. Improvements are often required to expand public service capability or 

recreational opportunities. In many cases, capital improvements eliminate deferred maintenance. 

Allocation and Integration

Allocations to the field are based upon the agency’s FA&O master plans and the Recreation Facility 

Analysis (RFA) 5-year programs of work that address the agency’s long-term strategic asset management 

objectives and the visitor safety action plan. These objectives include reducing long-term operation and 

maintenance costs, reducing deferred maintenance, disposing of unnecessary assets, and identifying and 

mitigating significant potential threats to employee and public safety. The Forest Service is working 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Capital Improvement and Maintenance 6-5

diligently to use the construction and facilities Realignment and Enhancement Act funds to efficiently and 

fulfill the agency’s mission in a cost-effective manner.

Facilities maintenance and improvement activities are also funded by the Deferred Maintenance and 

Infrastructure Improvement budget line item. FA&O facilities are also funded through the Facilities 

Maintenance Assessment funds (see Special Exhibit - Facilities Maintenance Assessment) and the 

permanent Operation and Maintenance of Quarters Fund. In addition to appropriated funds, annual 

maintenance and repairs to recreation facilities are also funded through other special authorities, including 

the Timber Sales Pipeline Restoration Fund. Through the use of these funds the Forest Service is able to 

operate and maintain many of its recreation facilities that might otherwise have been closed due to 

increasing costs. 

Partnerships

The agency accomplishes valuable facility work by leveraging funds for completing these activities 

through partnerships. Volunteers, concessionaires, and other partners are engaged to enhance recreation 

experiences and help maintain nearly 70 percent of recreation sites. The agency also co-locates with other 

Federal and non-governmental agencies to share facilities and thereby lower operation costs.

Job Corps Partnership

In FY 2011, the Forest Service partnered with seven Job Corps Centers located throughout the country to demolish and build a 

new office for the Camino Real Ranger District in Arizona. The project provided real life experience to disadvantaged youth 

and a new, more functional and environmentally friendly office for the Forest Service.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Capital Improvement and Maintenance 6-6

FY 2013 Facilities Major Projects List

(dollars in thousands)

Agency-wide Critical Infrastructure Support Total Cost

Recreation Maintenance (Projects Under $250,000) $36,664

Minor Capital Improvement (Projects Under $250,000) $1,424

Planning and Design for Outyear Projects $4,834

Washington Office (Maintenance and Improvement) $5,782

Albuquerque Service Center Business Management (Maintenance and Improvement) $7,752

Subtotal $56,456

Region/

Station/ 

Area State Project Name and Type Unit

Deferred 

Maintenance 

Eliminated Project Cost

National Priority Projects

1 MT Birch Creek CCC Camp 

Rehabilitation

BeaverheadDeerlodge$1,296 $1,005

2 SD National Grasslands Visitor's Center 

& Wall Ranger District Office 

Renovations

Nebraska $225 $1,000

3 AZ Prescott Fire Center Improvements Prescott $647 $1,501

6 OR J. Herbert Stone Nursery 

Infrastructure, Phase 2

Rogue River -

Siskiyou

$809 $925

6 OR Redmond Air Center Facility 

Enhancements

Deschutes $1,200 $1,446

8 TN Piney Campground Bathhouses, 

Phase 2

Land Between 

the Lakes

$1,439 $1,670

Subtotal $5,616 $7,547

Regional Priority Projects

1 MT West Fork Water System 

Rehabilitation

Bitterroot $250 $360

1 MT Magruder Corridor Reconstruction Bitterroot $275 $454

1 MT Greenough Lake Campground 

Rehabilitation

Custer $130 $514

1 MT Aviation Operations Building 

Relocation

Aerial Fire 

Depot - Unit 52

$232 $381

1 MT Flint Creek Campground 

Rehabilitation

BeaverheadDeerlodge$123 $360

Subtotal $1,010 $2,069

2 NE Supervisor's Office Energy 

Efficiency Renovations

Nebraska $846 $1,118

2 CO White River SO HVAC Replacement 

and Exterior Upgrades

White River $0 $1,300

2 SD Northern Hills District Office 

Renovation

Black Hills $475 $1,135

2 WY Tensleep Canyon Recreation Sites 

Rehabilitation

Bighorn $444 $774

Subtotal $1,765 $4,327
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Capital Improvement and Maintenance 6-7

Region/

Station/ 

Area State Project Name and Type Unit

Deferred 

Maintenance 

Eliminated Project Cost

3 NM Jemez Ranger District Office & 

Warehouse Replacement and 

Consolidation, Phase 1

Santa Fe $179 $2,400

3 NM El Rito Recreation Complex 

Rehabilitation, Phase 1

Carson $56 $500

Subtotal $235 $2,900

4 ID McCall Administrative Site 

Consolidation and Decommissioning

Payette $382 $4,000

Subtotal $382 $4,000

5 CA Mt. Hebron Barracks Replacement Klamath $2,718 $2,321

5 CA SO Energy Conservation 

Enhancements

San Bernardino $8 $423

5 CA Figueroa Station Water System 

Replacement

Los Padres $387 $647

Subtotal $3,113 $3,391

6 OR Union Creek Water System Rogue River -

Siskiyou

$308 $580

6 WA Tupper Work Center Quarters 

Replacement

Umatilla $612 $915

6 WA Wish Poosh Campground Water and 

Wastewater System Improvements

Okanoghan -

Wenatchee

$347 $300

6 WA Republic Ranger District Water and 

Wastewater System Upgrades

Colville $390 $340

6 OR Lava River Cave Stairs Replacement Deschutes $300 $365

Subtotal $1,957 $2,500

8 SC Enoree and Tyger Ranger District 

Offices Consolidation and 

Renovation

Francis Marion 

- Sumter 

$37 $2,239

8 OK Cedar Lake Septic System 

Conversion

Ouachita $4 $263

Subtotal $41 $2,502

9 MI Baldwin/White Cloud Ranger 

District, Phase 2

Huron -

Manistee

$615 $5,019

Subtotal $615 $5,019

10 AK Thorne Bay Compound Electrical 

Distribution

Tongass $38 $634

10 AK Petersburg Ranger District Duplex 

Deferred Maintenance

Tongass $119 $259

10 AK Eyak River Boat Ramp Replacement Chugach $115 $1,238

Subtotal $272 $2,131
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Capital Improvement and Maintenance 6-8

Region/

Station/ 

Area State Project Name and Type Unit

Deferred 

Maintenance 

Eliminated Project Cost

R&D HI Hawaii Experimental Tropical Forest 

Infrastructure Construction, Phase 5

PSW $0 $500

R&D ME Massabesic Experimental Forest 

Renovations 

NRS $367 $470

R&D MI Houghton Forestry Sciences Lab and 

Shop Renovation

NRS $221 $425

R&D MT Missoula Forestry Sciences Lab 

Renovation and Addition

RMRS $660 $2,781

R&D WA Olympia Forestry Science Lab 

HVAC Energy Improvements

Olympia $400 $350

R&D NC Research Triangle Park Forest 

Science and Assessment Center 

Consolidation, Phase 1

SRS $741 $1,725

Subtotal $2,389 $6,251

GT PA Grey Towers Historic Masonry 

Restoration

Grey Towers $370 $370

Subtotal $370 $370

Subtotal, National and Regional Priority Projects $17,765 $43,007

Total, Facilities Funding $99,463
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Capital Improvement and Maintenance 6-9

Budget Line Item Roads

(dollars in thousands)

FY 2011 

Enacted

FY 2012 

Enacted

FY 2013 

President's 

Budget

Program 

Changes

Percent of 

Program 

Changes

Roads

Annual Appropriations $195,195 $182,525 $157,818 -$24,707 -14%

Roads Total 195,195 182,525 157,818 -24,707 -14%

Annual Appropriations FTEs 1,327 1,273 1,182 -91 -7%

Total Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs) 1,327 1,273 1,182 -91 -7%

Roads

New Road Construction 11,506 10,975 9,467 -1,508 -14%

Operations & Maintenance 152,647 142,339 123,105 -19,234 -14%

Reconstruction of Existing Roads 31,042 29,211 25,246 -3,965 -14%

FY 2009 

Actual

FY 2010 

Actual

FY 2011 

Target

FY 2011 

Actual

FY 2012 

Target

FY 2013 

Target

Roads

Miles of passenger car roads receiving 

maintenance 50,592 52,837 47,120 37,304 33,358 30,166

Miles of high clearance system roads receiving 

maintenance 34,411 33,651 28,880 22,170 19,063 17,924

Miles of roads decommissioned 1,778 2,549 2,158 1,540 0 0

Miles of road reconstruction and capital 

improvement 4,352 5,352 3,500 2,379 1,972 1,569

Percent of road and trail rights-of-way acquired 

that provide public access through easement 

acquisitions or land adjustments 67% 106% 85% 90% 85% 85%

Note: Road decommissioning accomplishments are reported under the Integrated Resource Restoration budget line item. 

FY 2013 Program Changes

The FY 2013 President’s budget proposes $157,818,000 for Roads a decrease of $24,707,000 from the 

FY 2012 Enacted. The agency focuses on the work related to ensuring public safety, and critical access 

needs.

In FY 2012, the activities within the Roads budget line item were revised to clarify which activities are 

being performed on the existing road system versus when work will result in new miles of road being 

added to the system. In FY 2013, the Decommission Roads activity was moved to the Integrated Resource 

Restoration budget line item within the Legacy Roads and Trails activity. Decommissioning unneeded 

roads and structures eliminates the environmental effects of such roads and helps achieve ecological, 

terrestrial and aquatic restoration objectives. The work performed on the ground can include removing 

drainage structures, constructing water bars and scarifying and seeding the road bed. Refer to the 

Integrated Resource Restoration section in the National Forest System appropriation for more details. 

In FY 2013 for the Roads budget line item, specific priorities within each activity include:

Operations and Maintenance: The FY 2013 President’s Budget proposes funding for the 

operations and maintenance of the National Forest Road System (NFRS). The request funds

maintenance of an estimated 30,166 miles of passenger car roads and 17,924 miles of high 

clearance and closed roads. Currently there are approximately 65,500 miles of passenger car 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Capital Improvement and Maintenance 6-10

roads, 205,515 miles of road operated for high clearance vehicle use, and 102,000 miles of closed 

(in storage to provide options for future management activities) roads. 

Operations and maintenance funds maintains the NFRS in its current standard. Priority projects 

include the maintenance necessary to meet Highway Safety Act requirements, emergency access 

for first responders, escape routes in the event of wildland fire or other emergency situations, as 

well as roads identified on a motor vehicle use map. Effective road maintenance ensures that 

roads open for public and administrative travel comply with safety requirements and 

environmental protection laws and are available for critical access needs. We will explore 

innovative technologies, such as rock crushers, that reduce deferred maintenance with cost

effective methods. Road maintenance activities also reduce sediment deposition into streams, and 

this maintenance is critical to protect the quality of water originating on National Forest System 

(NFS) lands. Properly functioning road drainage makes our roads less susceptible to mass failure 

due to severe storms.

Reconstruction of Existing Roads: The FY 2013 President’s Budget proposes funding for the 

reconstruction of existing roads. The funds provide for the reconstruction of 1,569 miles of 

existing road considering all funding sources. Priority reconstruction projects include replacement 

of deficient bridges and stream crossings, recreation site and administrative site access needs, and 

engineering support for road reconstruction needed for vehicle and equipment access for timber 

sale and stewardship contracts. Road reconstruction ensures a transportation system that meets 

applicable safety laws and standards as well as essential public and critical access needs.

Road Construction: The FY 2013 President’s Budget proposes funding for road construction. 

This supports construction completed through resource projects nationwide. Of the roads 

funding, $9 million will be used to construct four to six miles of new roads for public access in 

Alaska. These four to six miles of roads are the only new roads Forest Service is proposing to 

build in 2013 with the exception of possibly building a limited number of roads to support the 

agency’s bark beetle efforts, but these roads would be funded under the program that reflects the 

primary purpose for the project.

Past Performance

In FY 2011, the agency fell short of its targets for expected amounts of High Clearance Road 

Maintenance and Passenger Car Road Maintenance. This was due, in part, to additional funding required 

to complete the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) projects that are considered prior 

year accomplishments. Other factors include receiving less funding than estimated in the FY 2011 

Budget Justification, and unusually heavy snowfalls in the Intermountain areas that damaged and closed 

many roads. 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Capital Improvement and Maintenance 6-11

FY 2011 Miles Accomplished by Funding Source

Funding Source

Passenger Car 

Road 

Maintenance

(miles)

High Clearance

Road

Maintenance

(miles)

Road 

Decommissioning

(miles)

Road 

Improvement

(miles)

Roads 27,186 14,067 240 7,2522

Other19,658 7,391 724 12,8833

Total 36,844 21,458 964 20,135

1

Includes Permanent & Trusts Funds, Integrated, and Partnership contributions

2

Includes 18.5 miles of new road construction.

3

Includes 77.4 miles of new road construction, of which 6.1 miles is from Stewardship Contracts and 40.2 miles from timber 

purchasers.

FY 2011 Structures Accomplished by Funding Source

Funding Source

Bridges Disposed 

or Transferred

Bridges 

Repaired

Bridges 

Reconstructed

Bridges 

New

Stream 

Crossings 

Mitigated

Roads 12 14 5 2 31

Other18 17 9 14 126

Total (each) 20 31 14 16 157

1

Includes Permanent & Trusts Funds, Integrated, and Partnership contributions.

The agency acquired 54 miles of road and trail easements which equals 106 percent of the FY 2011 target.

Program Description 

Program Overview

The NFRS is essential for the management, protection, public use and enjoyment of 193 million acres of 

NFS lands. Virtually all agency and public activities on NFS lands require travel over the system, which 

consists of approximately 373,000 miles of roads and 6,200 bridges.

The transportation system on each National Forest provides for the protection, utilization, and 

administration of very diverse natural landscapes. The operation and maintenance of these transportation 

systems is complex. Work that supports public safety and resource protection by minimizing erosion and 

fragmentation of habitats are high priorities for these program funds. 

At the end of FY 2011, approximately 65,500 miles of Forest System roads were open for use by 

passenger cars and other State highway legal vehicles (Maintenance Levels 3 – 5), making them subject 

to Highway Safety Act requirements. These roads provide access to campsites and other recreation 

opportunities, for resource management and development activities, as well as for emergency responders; 

sometimes providing the only escape or access routes for forest users and local residents in the event of 

wildfire or other emergency situations. Approximately 205,500 miles are managed for high clearance 

(Maintenance Level 2) vehicles and provide access primarily for recreational and administrative uses. 

Approximately 102,000 miles of maintenance Level 1 roads are closed, and are not maintained for traffic. 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Capital Improvement and Maintenance 6-12

Following are several of the key uses and associated benefits of a well maintained NFRS:

Effective road maintenance essential to protect the quality of waters provided by NFS lands, and 

provides the drinking water supply for approximately one-fifth of U.S. communities and habitat 

for over 470 fish and 346 crayfish species including more than 124 Aquatic Threatened, 

Endangered and Sensitive species. The condition of our roads has a direct effect on our ability to 

provide clean water. Deferring maintenance or not repairing roads after storm events allows 

sediment to enter streams and rivers thereby degrading water quality and jeopardizing the safety 

of users. 

Recreation visitors spend an estimated $14.5 billion annually in and around National Forests 

(USDA National Visitor Use Monitoring Results: 2010). Goal A of the President’s America’s 

Great Outdoors Initiative is to, ―Increase and improve recreational access and opportunities.‖ The 

road system is the critical component in maintaining access, and supporting local recreationdependent communities associated with NFS lands. 

In order to maintain, reconstruct, and construct the NFRS, the Forest Service hires contractors 

that frequently supply good jobs in rural areas. 

The NFRS provides access to a variety of resources such as oil and gas. In 2009, energy 

development on NFS lands facilitated the recovery of over $1.2 billion worth of oil and natural 

gas, which generated nearly $136 million in royalties for the Federal Treasury (FS Minerals & 

Geology Staff Report on FY 2009 Revenues from NFS Lands). 

The Forest Service is committed to preventing watershed and habitat degradation associated with offroad vehicle use. Furthermore, we are working to ensure our roads do not prevent the movement of 

aquatic organisms through road crossings. A designated system of roads, trails, and areas for motor 

vehicle use provides for sustained recreation opportunities for motor vehicle enthusiasts, and provides 

a foundation for provision of support facilities such as trailhead parking and information. The 

following pictures illustrate an example of improvements to roadway crossings to protect water 

resources.

Roadway Crossing Improvements

Before treatment, there was severe ponding within the roadway, extensive resource damage from traffic, as 

well as roadway hazard. After treatment, the roadway crossing was constructed to standard. The new 

culvert and rip rap are designed to handle significant storm events.

BEFORE AFTER
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Capital Improvement and Maintenance 6-13

Over the past ten years, the Forest service has reduced the total number of road miles by approximately 

12,000 miles. During that same period, the number of miles of passenger car road available has changed

from approximately 80,000 to 65,500; a reduction of 18 percent. The Forest Service continues to identify 

the minimum transportation system required to meet the needs of the various users while balancing our 

ability to properly maintain that system.

The terms ―Construction‖ and ―Maintenance‖ are used as defined by 23 U.S.C. 101. The roads program is 

delivered through the following activities:

Operations and Maintenance: This activity includes the operation and maintenance of existing 

system roads, bridges, and other vehicle access areas such as parking lots. Operations include the 

inventory, classification, and mapping of the transportation system, traffic monitoring, road 

management and transportation planning (travel management). Transportation planning, called 

travel management, helps the agency identify opportunities to reduce the number of open roads 

and determine the appropriate service level for the roads remaining to obtain a sustainable 

transportation system. Maintenance includes actions necessary to preserve or restore a road to its 

original service level and condition to provide acceptable service and achieve its expected life. 

This includes maintenance of the travel ways, roadside vegetation; drainage facilities; structures, 

including bridges; traffic control devices, including signs and gates; and engineering support for 

timber sale contracts that include required road maintenance by the timber purchaser. Engineering 

support costs for timber sales are included in this activity only for road work that qualifies as 

maintenance. Engineering support includes the design, cost estimates, contract preparation, and 

contract administration to assure applicable safety and environmental standards are met. 

Reconstruction of Existing System Roads: Reconstruction includes the renovation and restoration 

of existing roads, bridges, or other vehicle access areas such as parking lots that have deteriorated 

due to the accumulation of deferred maintenance, changing the function of existing roads to 

accommodate different users, such as changing a logging road to a recreation road; increasing 

capacity of an existing road such as changing a single-lane road or bridge to a two-lane road or 

bridge; safety improvements that correct or improve high hazard locations such as replacement of 

deficient bridges or culverts; and other improvements to meet public and resource management 

needs. Reconstruction also includes the engineering support costs for timber sale contracts that 

include timber purchaser provided reconstruction of existing roads that may be in storage. 

Engineering support includes the design, cost estimates, contract preparation, and contract 

administration to assure applicable safety and environmental standards are met.

New Road Construction: New road construction includes the engineering support costs for 

timber sale contracts such as new road construction provided by the timber purchaser; 

construction of bridges, and vehicle access areas to meet public and resource management needs; 

reclassifying unauthorized roads; and rights-of-way acquisition. This activity results in minor 

addition of miles to the transportation system where none previously existed.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Capital Improvement and Maintenance 6-14

Allocation and Integration

In several of the past years, Congress has provided annual direction on the proportionate amounts of the 

Roads appropriation to be spent for construction and to be spent for maintenance. When funding is 

allocated to the field, the agency uses a formula that reflects this direction. The formula considers land 

area, visitor use, timber volume offered on timber sale and stewardship contracts, and acres treated for 

hazardous fuels. Adjustments may be made between regions based on capability information submitted by 

the regions or to mitigate situations where proposed allocations would create undesirable transition 

effects. 

The National Forest Roads System (NFRS) is an integral part of the rural transportation network and is 

operated and maintained to provide safe access for all resource program activities including terrestrial and 

aquatic ecosystem management programs such as Integrated Resources Restoration and Hazardous Fuels 

as well as programs such as Recreation, Heritage and Wilderness and Trails that support public enjoyment 

of national lands by providing access to recreation sites, trailheads, and special areas. Coordination across 

multiple program areas is integral to successfully managing the NFRS to ensure the transportation system 

is adequate to meet those needs. 

Partnerships

The National Forest Roads and Trails Act of 1964 (P.L. 88-657, 16 U.S.C 535) authorizes cooperative 

construction and maintenance of road systems. Under this authority, the Forest Service enters into 

Cooperative Road Construction and Use Agreements (i.e. Cost Share Agreements) with the owners of 

large tracts of lands intermingled with NFS lands. The Forest Service also enters into Forest Road 

Agreements with public road authorities, such as States and counties, where NFS access, local residential 

access, and local commerce needs coincide. Tens of thousands of miles of NFS roads are included in 

agreements.

Reconstruction

This recently replaced culvert that was a barrier to Fall Chinook Salmon, Snake River Steelhead, and Columbia River 

Bull Trout. Now these valuable species can pass freely through the new culvert. 

BEFORE RECONSTRUCTION AFTER RECONSTRUCTION
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Capital Improvement and Maintenance 6-15

Budget Line Item Trails

(dollars in thousands)

FY 2011 

Enacted

FY 2012 

Enacted

FY 2013 

President's 

Budget

Program 

Changes

Percent of 

Program 

Changes

Trails

Annual Appropriations $88,381 $81,851 $81,985 $134 0%

Trails Total 88,381 81,851 81,985 134 0%

Annual Appropriations FTEs 698 666 668 2 0%

Total Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs) 698 666 668 2 0%

Trails

Maintain Trails 68,286 63,144 63,224 80 0%

Improve Trails 20,095 18,707 18,761 54 0%

FY 2009 

Actual

FY 2010 

Actual

FY 2011 

Target

FY 2011 

Actual

FY 2012 

Target

FY 2013 

Target

Trails

Miles of system trails maintained to standard 38,383 49,576 38,000 50,305 46,580 46,780

Miles of system trail improved to standard 1,473 2,303 925 1,255 1,162 1,165

FY 2013 Program Changes

The FY 2013 President’s Budget proposes $81,985,000 for Trails, a program increase of $134,000 from 

the FY 2012 Enacted. The National Forest System (NFS) inventory of 155,000 miles of trails offers a vast 

range of recreation opportunities to the American public, directly supporting the America’s Great 

Outdoors (AGO) and the First Lady’s ―Let’s Move‖ Initiatives. We continue to designate trails for motorvehicle use consistent with the Travel Management Rule and strengthen partnerships in trail stewardship; 

particularly those that help deliver youth programs. The program continues to focus on management and 

protection of the national scenic and historic trails.

Specific priorities within each activity include:

Maintain Trails: The FY 2013 President’s Budget proposes funding to maintain approximately 

46,780 trail miles to standard, of which approximately 20 percent will be accomplished through 

the use of volunteers. In FY 2013, the agency will address approximately 20 percent of the total 

trail system miles through a unified program of work. We continue to validate and improve our 

basic trails inventory as well as the collection of trail assessment and condition survey data, to 

ensure that we have sound, accurate information on NFS trails. We are also increasing training 

for reporting trail accomplishments. Trail maintenance reduces resource damage and improves 

safety conditions to provide a safe and a quality experience for trail users.

Improve Trails: The FY 2013 President’s Budget includes funding to improve trails in the NFS,

investing funds to construct and reconstruct bridges and trails damaged by Hurricane Irene and 

other natural disasters. Funds will also improve access to recreational rivers, directly addressing 

an AGO goal. Trail improvement helps ensure a safe and quality experience for trail users; 

protects valuable wildlife, fish, and plant habitat; and protects water quality by preventing 

sedimentation of streams.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Capital Improvement and Maintenance 6-16

Past Performance

Miles of system trails maintained to standard (132 percent of target accomplished). In FY 2011, the 

agency maintained to standard 50,305 miles of system trails, out of a total of over 155,600 miles total.

Over the past year, the trails program has streamlined its data collection efforts. The FY 2011 target for 

this measure was based on prior information. The trails program has increased training for field personnel 

to ensure that data are consistently collected and reported.

In FY 2010, the Forest Service improved its system for consistently calculating and reporting this 

measure. This has been reinforced with agency-wide training since FY 2010. As units receive training and 

improved understanding of reporting requirements, it is anticipated that the difference between planned 

and reported accomplishment will be reduced. However, it should be noted that accurate reporting of 

actual accomplishments can result in actual accomplishments exceeding planned/estimated 

accomplishments due to site-specific conditions and field productivity rates, and/or unforeseen volunteer 

contributions or other contributing factors. Notable over-accomplishments were reported by Regions 2, 4 

and 6.

Miles of system trails improved to standard (136 percent of target accomplished). In FY 2011, the agency 

improved to standard 1,255 miles of system trails.

Program Description

Program Overview

The trails program ensures public safety and backcountry access through the operation, maintenance, 

rehabilitation, and improvement of NFS trails, serving a wide constituency of visitors at a relatively low 

cost. About 32,000 miles of trails are inside wilderness areas. The NFS trail system accommodates 

roughly 50 million visitor-days of non-motorized and motorized travel such as cross-country skiing, 

hiking, hunting, fishing, wildlife viewing, horseback riding, mountain biking, snowmobiling, and offhighway vehicle use each year.

The trails program also administers National Scenic and Historic Trails, including the Appalachian 

National Scenic Trail, Continental Divide National Scenic Trail, Florida National Scenic Trail, Pacific 

Crest National Scenic Trail, Nez Perce (Nee Mee Poo) National Historic Trail, Arizona National Scenic 

Trails, Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trail, and portions of an additional 15 other national scenic and 

historic trails. This administration is accomplished in coordination with other Federal public land agencies 

(see the Special Exhibit on National Scenic and Historic Trails for further details.)

The trails program is delivered through the two following activities. The terms ―Capital Improvement‖

and ―Maintenance‖ are used as defined by the Federal Accounting Standards Advisory Board (FASAB) 

Accounting Standards No. 6 (GPO # 041-001-00462-9). The maintenance and improvement of system 

trails ensures trails are accessible, adequately designed, safe, and environmentally responsible.

Maintain Trails (both annual and deferred maintenance): This activity includes the maintenance 

and operation of system trails, trail bridges, and trailheads. Maintenance activities include the 

actions necessary to preserve or restore a trail to its original condition in order to provide 

acceptable service and achieve the expected trail lifespan. Work includes clearing encroaching 

vegetation and fallen trees and the repair, preventive maintenance, and replacement of trail signs, 

treadways, water drainage, trail bridges, and other trail structures. Trail maintenance also 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Capital Improvement and Maintenance 6-17

provides trail accessibility and promotes ecosystem health by protecting soil, vegetation, and 

water quality. Unneeded system trails are also eliminated under this activity.

Improve Trails: Provides for the planning and design, new construction, alteration and expansion 

of system trails, trail bridges, and trail components, such as barriers, culverts, fencing, and 

wildlife viewing platforms.

Allocation and Integration 

Funding is allocated based on the existing miles of NFS trails, regional capability, and management of 

National Scenic and Historic Trails. While maintaining a base-level ability to maintain trails in all of the 

national forests and grasslands, a portion of the trails funding creates jobs for youth in rural areas by 

leveraging resources. Priority projects leverage the most non-Federal dollars and create the most jobs.

Trail maintenance and improvement is also funded by Capital Improvement and Maintenance, Deferred 

Maintenance and Infrastructure Improvement; Integrated Resource Restoration; and Permanent 

Appropriation; as well as Legacy Roads and Trails.

Partnerships

The trails program leverages thousands of hours of trail work from volunteers and youth organizations to 

operate, maintain, and construct thousands of miles of trail each year. Trail crews are one of the primary 

means for the Forest Service to employ young adults and partner with local communities and interest 

groups. In FY 2011, partners contributed approximately $7 million dollars in funding for trail operations, 

and maintained and improved approximately 5,467 miles of national and scenic trails administered by the 

Forest Service. The national scenic and historic trails comprise 12,198 miles of the 155,000 miles of NFS

trails, or eight percent of the trails system.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Capital Improvement and Maintenance 6-18

Budget Line Item

Deferred Maintenance and Infrastructure 

Improvement

(dollars in thousands)

FY 2011 

Enacted

FY 2012 

Enacted

FY 2013 

President's 

Budget

Program 

Changes

Percent of 

Program 

Changes

Deferred Maintenance and Infrastructure Improvement

Annual Appropriations $9,158 $9,121 $7,113 -$2,008 -22%

Deferred Maintenance and Infrastructure Improvement Total 9,158 9,121 7,113 -2,008 -22%

Annual Appropriations FTEs 11 11 11 0 0%

Total Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs) 11 11 11 0 0%

FY 2009 

Actual

FY 2010 

Actual

FY 2011 

Target

FY 2011 

Actual

FY 2012 

Target

FY 2013 

Target

Deferred Maintenance & Infrastructure Improvement

Miles of high clearance system roads receiving 

maintenance 1 6 0 5 0 0 0 0

Miles of passenger car roads receiving 

maintenance 8 0 7 5 160 0 0 0

Miles of road reconstruction and capital 7 3 6 2 9 9 0 0

Miles of trails maintained to standard 1 1 1 8 0 0 0 0

Miles of system trail improved to standard 0 0 0 0 1 5 0

FA&O facilities maintained to standard 0 0 0 0 7 4

Number of outdoor recreation facilities 

maintained to standard 0 0 0 0 3 5

FY 2013 Program Changes

The FY 2013 President’s Budget proposes $7,113,000 for Deferred Maintenance and Infrastructure 

Improvement, a program decrease of $2,008,000 from the FY 2012 Enacted. Other appropriations, such 

as Facilities, Roads, and Trails, contribute to the agency’s efforts to reduce the deferred maintenance 

backlog. For FY 2013, the agency developed a national prioritized list of projects from proposals 

developed by the units. The agency will select projects for implementation that address the most critical 

health and safety infrastructure needs particularly in areas that are heavily used by the public and agency 

employees, such as performing critical maintenance and repairs to dams; correcting health and safety 

deficiencies in buildings, campgrounds, and water and wastewater systems; and renovation of recreation 

structures.

Past Performance

In FY 2011, projects funded under this program were evaluated on a national scale and prioritized for 

funding using criteria that ensure the most critical health and safety infrastructure needs are met for the 

public and agency employees. In addition, the agency eliminated over $3.8 million dollars of deferred 

maintenance. 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Capital Improvement and Maintenance 6-19

Region State Forest Project Name Allocation

(in Thousands)

R1 MT Lolo Plains RS Water System Replacement -

Phase 1

$40 

R1 MT Gallatin Earthquake Lake Visitor Center 

Retrofit – Phase 1

$150 

R2 CO Pike – San Isabel PSICC Critical Health and Safety 

Bridges

$549

R2 CO White River Rifle Office Renovation & Addition $60

R2 CO Grand Mesa, 

Uncompahgre, &

Gunnison

Crystal Lake Dam Reconstruction –

Phase 1

$30

R3 AZ Apache-Sitgreaves Big Lake Campground Utility 

Infrastructure – Phase 1

$206 

R3 NM Carson Camino Real Office Makeover Project $468 

R4 ID Sawtooth Sawtooth NRA Administrative 

Facilities Deferred Maintenance

$862 

R5 CA Cleveland Descanso Engine Garage/ Warehouse 

Replacement

$990 

R5 CA Los Padres Rose Valley Helibase 

Decommissioning – Phase 1

$75 

R5 CA San Bernardino Falls Recreation Area Reconstruction $995 

R5 CA Lassen Hat Creek Work Center Wastewater 

Upgrade Project – Phase 1

$57 

R6 OR Siuslaw Sand Lake Sewer – Phase 3 $525 

R6 OR Olympic Quinault Wastewater Treatment Plant 

Repairs

$320 

R8 KY Daniel Boone Renovate Redbird Ranger Station $743 

R8 NC North Carolina NFSR 711 Restoration $1,000 

R9 WV Monongahela Big Bend Campground – Water & 

Wastewater System Replacement

$78

R10 AK Tongass Yakutat Crew Quarters $430
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Capital Improvement and Maintenance 6-20

Program Description

Program Overview

The Deferred Maintenance and Infrastructure Improvement program provides for maintenance, repair, 

and improvement of the agency’s infrastructure. The agency’s portfolio includes approximately 40,400 

buildings, 5,000 water systems, 5,000 wastewater systems, nearly 20,000 recreation sites, 155,000 miles 

of trails, 6,400 trail bridges, 6,200 road bridges, 373,000 miles of roads, and additional infrastructure 

features. These assets currently have a backlog of over $5.5 billion dollars in maintenance needs.

This program provides for maintenance of recreation developed sites, water-wastewater systems, roads, 

trails, road and trail bridges, fire, administrative, and other facility maintenance projects costing more 

than $250,000, as well as infrastructure capital improvements.

Maintenance – This activity includes repairs, preventive maintenance, replacement of parts and 

structural components. Maintenance that is not performed as needed or scheduled is referred to as 

deferred maintenance. Deferred maintenance leads to deterioration of performance, increased 

costs to repair, and a decrease in the value of the infrastructure. Deferred maintenance 

complements the Facilities, Roads, Trails, and the Integrated Resource Restoration programs by 

directing funds specifically toward reducing the backlog of deferred maintenance in large part to 

ensure the safety of the recreating public, agency employees, volunteers, and contractors.

Infrastructure Improvement – This activity includes the construction of new infrastructure, 

alteration of existing infrastructure to change its function, and the expansion of existing 

infrastructure to increase capacity. Improvements are often required to maintain public service 

capability or recreational opportunities. Capital improvement projects eliminate deferred 

maintenance and provide mission-critical infrastructure.

Corvallis Forestry Science Laboratory 

and Siuslaw National Forest Supervisor’s Office co-location

Renovated existing Corvallis Forestry Science Laboratory in order to co-locate Siuslaw National Forest Supervisor’s 

Office. This project included recycling 95 percent of demolition materials and construction of a new 8,800 square 

foot Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design – Silver certification (LEED) addition that incorporated energy 

and water saving measures. By co-locating, the Forest Service saves $10 million over 30 years in lease payments, 

eliminates $4.8 million dollars in deferred maintenance, maximizes utilization of the Laboratory, and reduces the 

agency’s total square footage.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Capital Improvement and Maintenance 6-21

Allocation and Integration

Projects that achieve the greatest reduction in the agency’s total deferred maintenance backlog are given 

priority for funding. Starting in FY 2011, funds have been allocated to nationally selected projects that 

address the most critical health and safety infrastructure needs particularly in areas heavily used by the 

public and agency employees. Condition assessment surveys drive management decisions and national 

allocations regarding construction, use, maintenance or decommissioning, and disposal of assets. 

In addition to Deferred Maintenance and Infrastructure Improvement, other programs and authorities are 

available to reduce deferred maintenance, including Integrated Resource Restoration; Capital 

Improvement and Maintenance, Facilities, Roads, and Trails programs; and Permanent Appropriations, 

Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Fund, and Operations and Maintenance of Quarters Fund. 

Through the use of these funds, the agency is able to direct additional resources that address the 

significant backlog of deferred maintenance on the agency’s infrastructure.

Partnerships

This program leverages funds through partnerships with non-profit organizations and volunteers.

Additional leveraging is accomplished through concessionaire programs, user maintenance fees, and other 

partner-based work.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Capital Improvement and Maintenance 6-22

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FY 2013 Budget Justification UDSA Forest Service

Land Acquisition 7-1

Appropriation Land Acquisition

(dollars in thousands)

FY 2011 

Enacted

FY 2012 

Enacted

FY 2013 

President's 

Budget

Program 

Changes

Percent of 

Program 

Changes

Land Acquisition

Annual Appropriations $32,934 $52,521 $57,934 $5,413 10%

Land Acquisition Total 32,934 52,521 57,934 5,413 10%

Annual Appropriation FTEs 60 61 61 0 0%

Total Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs) 60 61 61 0 0%

Land Acquisition

Land Acquisition 32,934 52,521 57,934 5,413 10%

Appropriation

Acquisition of Lands for National Forests 

Special Acts

(dollars in thousands)

FY 2011 

Enacted

FY 2012 

Enacted

FY 2013 

President's 

Budget

Program 

Changes

Percent of 

Program 

Changes

Acquisition of Lands for National Forests Special Acts

Annual Appropriations $1,048 $953 $955 $2 0%

Acquisition of Lands for National Forests Special Acts Total 1,048 953 955 2 0%

Annual Appropriation FTEs 0 0 0 0 0%

Total Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs) 0 0 0 0 0%

Appropriation

Acquisition of Lands to Complete Land 

Exchanges

(dollars in thousands)

FY 2011 

Enacted

FY 2012 

Enacted

FY 2013 

President's 

Budget

Program 

Changes

Percent of 

Program 

Changes

Acquisition of Lands to Complete Land Exchanges

Annual Appropriations 0 $227 $227 0 0%

Acquisition of Lands to Complete Land Exchanges Total 0 227 227 0 0%

Annual Appropriation FTEs 0 0 0 0 0%

Total Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs) 0 0 0 0 0%

 Annual Output Measure

FY 2009 

Actual

FY 2010 

Actual

FY 2011 

Target

FY 2011 

Actual

FY 2012 

Target

FY 2013 

Target

Land Acquisition

Number of acres acquired or donated 27,449 169,086 23,900 20,149 18,374 25,000

Priority acres acquired or donated that reduce 

the conversion of 

forests, grasslands, and aquatic and riparian 

ecosystems to incompatible uses in order to 

improve and maintain ecological conditions for 

federally listed and candidate species, species of 

concern and species of interest 20,495 125,326 20,100 14,075 13,781 18,750
FY 2013 Budget Justification UDSA Forest Service

Land Acquisition 7-2

FY 2013 Program Changes

Land Acquisition

The FY 2013 President’s Budget proposes $57,934,000 for Land Acquisition, an increase of $5,413,000 

from FY 2012 Enacted. This funding comes from the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), the 

main source of Federal funding for land acquisition. Acquisitions also address public demand, as outlined 

in the America’s Great Outdoors (AGO) Initiative. 

Interagency Collaborative LWCF Initiative

The request includes $25,000,000 to support the Federal Interagency Collaborative LWCF initiative, 

described in this section under the heading “Collaborative Landscape Planning” (CLP). This endeavor 

addresses AGO Action Item 5.2a: Implement an interagency process to invest part of the federal LWCF 

funds in high-yield conservation projects that address shared ecological goals. USDA and the Forest 

Service, with DOI and its agencies, identified landscapes where the agencies can collaboratively respond 

to locally supported planning efforts to protect critical ecosystems before fragmentation occurs. 

Conserving large-scale landscapes yields multiple resource and economic benefits to the public, including 

cleaner drinking water, recreational opportunities, reduced wildfire risk, protected habitat for at-risk and 

game species, and jobs generated on and off forests and grasslands. All of these proposed land acquisition 

projects are within National Forest System (NFS) boundaries and congressionally designated areas. 

Acquiring them will reduce expenditures associated with boundary management and fire suppression for 

the Forest Service and surrounding communities and will increase public access to Federal land.

Core Forest Service Acquisitions

The remaining $32,934,000 focuses on acquiring the highest priority lands within National Forest System 

boundaries that further specific agency goals for forest and grassland restoration, watershed management 

under the Watershed Condition Framework, and public and private access. 

Priority Recreational Access

Our new initiative for “Priority Recreational Access” addresses AGO Action Item 5.2b: Invest a portion 

of LWCF funds to increase recreation access to federal lands (DOI and USDA). Both Departments are 

addressing this action item by funding opportunities to increase access to Federal lands. 

Our goal, as recommended in the AGO report, is to invest LWCF funds to better meet recreation needs, 

particularly to expand access to the NFS. Expanded public access is already one of our central criteria for 

prioritizing acquisitions. The National Forest System also has large areas of land that are chronically 

difficult to access; to address this, we propose to invest a portion of FY 2013 LWCF funds (up to $5 

million) to provide access to portions of the NFS that were previously considered to have limited or no 

access. We are making this investment in public access in tandem with the Bureau of Land Management. 

The intended outcomes are not just complementary interagency initiatives; they include engaging with a 

broader array of partners in order to respond to the public’s desire for better access to public lands for 

recreation, including hunting and fishing. Hunting and fishing are supported on NFS lands through 

traditional forms of recreation and subsistence use. Sportsmen and women increasingly rely on public 

lands for hunting and fishing opportunities as options on private lands diminish due to urban growth and 

suburban land fragmentation. 

Priority Recreational Access
FY 2013 Budget Justification UDSA Forest Service

Land Acquisition 7-3

The Forest Service will use up to $5 million of FY 2013 LWCF funds in a one-year endeavor to acquire 

parcels that provide access to NFS lands whereby access is not currently available or is impeded. Parcels 

will be identified by the public with the support of a non-governmental organization, and funding 

decisions will be based on a regionally competitive process. Upon receipt of an appropriation, we will 

allocate funds to Forest Service Regions, based on visitor use. The Forest Service’s Washington Office 

will issue a request for proposals (RFP) that outlines conditions and instructions for how to nominate a 

parcel and apply for funding, includes a simple application form, that will include information about 

when and where to submit applications to the Regional Offices. For the purposes of this funding, we 

intend “access” to include both motorized and/or non-motorized. 

Eligibility

The conditions of eligibility for parcels at the time of nomination are that the parcel must have a willing 

seller, must have clear title, must have the support of a non-governmental organization or 501(c)(3), and 

must be adjacent to existing Forest Service land. Further, applicants and proponents must be able to 

provide at least a 25 percent cost-share of the total project costs.

Rating Criteria

Projects will be rated on the degree to which previously inaccessible lands are made accessible. This can 

be quantified in terms of area (acres), a linear measure (i.e. stream frontage), and/or costs savings and 

operational efficiencies for access purposes achieved by the acquisition, and extent to which recreation 

use will increase. Projects providing greater than the minimum cost share match may be more 

competitive.

Forest Service Role and Contribution:

The Forest Service will provide up to $250,000 per individual project towards total project costs

Acquisition Management funds will be included in the total project cost

Each Region will strive to maximize the total increase in access with the funds allotted

Each Region will post on their websites the application process and will select parcels for 

acquisition six months from the RFP publication date

Each Region will post on their websites all of the applications they receive and, for each, will 

include a short statement indicating after initial review, whether the application is eligible for 

consideration or ineligible, and why

The Regional Forester will make final recommendations for project selection

The Deputy Chief of NFS has final approval for selecting projects for funding

Partnerships

The Forest Service works with a substantial array of partners to identify and acquire lands that will 

deliver a diversity of benefits to the public. The agency’s priority land acquisition list is in many respects 

a compendium of years of collaboration and on-going dialogue with partners. Partnerships provide more 

than funding and logistical support for acquisitions. They are essential for communication, learning and 

innovation, helping us be responsive and deliver results. The land acquisition program relies on 

partnerships and relationships with local, State, Federal, Tribal, corporate and non-governmental 

organizations, and individuals. These partners often work with us on multiple programs. For instance, 

many of the partners working on the Montana Legacy Completion acquisition in the Flathead and Lolo 
FY 2013 Budget Justification UDSA Forest Service

Land Acquisition 7-4

National Forests were integral to the selection of those forests for Collaborative Forest Landscape 

Restoration funds in 2010.

The number of partners associated with the projects listed on the priority land acquisition list are too 

numerous to list. We can, however look at one project to demonstrate the range of partnerships typical of 

priority acquisitions. The “North Carolina Threatened Treasures” project, for instance, has multiple

National, State and local groups representing diverse interests that work together to identify the highest 

priorities for land protection in the State. They work collaboratively with the Forest Service to determine 

which lands are best suited for Federal ownership. The list of partners supporting this project include: The 

Conservation Fund, The Nature Conservancy, The Trust for Public Land, Southern Appalachian 

Highlands Conservancy, Carolina Mountain Land Conservancy, North Carolina Wildlife Resources 

Commission, Caldwell County, Trout Unlimited, Appalachian Trail Conservancy, and the National Park 

Service.

Acquisition of Lands for National Forests Special Acts; Acquisition of Lands to Complete Land 

Exchanges

The request includes $955,000 for the Acquisition of Lands for National Forests Special Acts and

$227,000 for Acquisition of Lands to Complete Land Exchanges. These programs are funded at 

approximately the same program level as the FY 2012 Enacted (there is an increase of $2,000 for 

Acquisition of Lands for National Forests Special Acts). Funds acquire lands that protect critical 

watersheds, address flood damaged areas, and protect forested lands and resources.

Past Performance

Number of acres acquired or donated (84.3 percent of target accomplished). In FY 2011, we acquired 

20,149 acres. The accomplishment is primarily due to projects in the Southwestern and Southern Regions.

The Southwestern Region was able to complete a substitute project at a lower cost per acre than the 

planned project. Any additional acquisitions in the Southern Region resulted under Tennessee State law 

which transfers privately held mineral interests on public land to the agency, due to inactivity on those 

interests.

Program Description

Program Overview

The Land Acquisition program funds the acquisition and donation of lands, waters, and related interests 

within the NFS to further agency goals for restoration, outdoor recreation and public access, habitat for 

wildlife including threatened and endangered species, and to protect water quality and quantity. Land 

acquisition is best able to further these goals through consolidation and connection of fragmented lands.

The Forest Service evaluates potential acquisitions based on how well they will support effective land 

management and improve stewardship functions like habitat restoration, fuels reduction, public access,

and reduce costs associated with boundary line management and trespass encroachments.

The Land Acquisition program plays an important role in restoring the ecosystem function and resilience 

of landscapes in the face of the effects of climate change. These contributions include acquisition of 

watersheds that serve as natural reservoirs for downstream water supply, and the acquisition of vegetated 

lands that sequester carbon. Maintaining these ecosystem services requires an integrated, landscape-level 

approach that is best achieved through strategic land acquisitions.

The program is delivered through the following activities:
FY 2013 Budget Justification UDSA Forest Service

Land Acquisition 7-5

Land Acquisition Management: This activity covers expenses to complete land acquisitions and 

donations, including costs associated with employing technical expertise, and due diligence work 

such as title search, appraisals, land acquisition surveys, and legal document preparation.

Acquisition management funds also cover administrative costs associated with exchanges and 

donations when the land acquired through these methods are within an approved project area.

Purchase Land: Funds pay for the cost of purchased lands and land equalization cash payments 

for those exchanges that would otherwise qualify for purchase.

Acquisition of Lands for National Forests, Special Acts: This program provides for the 

acquisition of lands to protect watersheds, minimize soil erosion, and rehabilitate specified 

national forests in Nevada, Utah, and California.

Acquisition of Lands to Complete Land Exchanges: This program provides for the acquisition of 

lands through land exchanges with funds collected from the exchange or sale of NFS lands with 

State, county, or municipal governments, public school authorities, or other non-Federal parties, 

when in the public interest to do so. 

Allocation and Integration 

Core land acquisition projects funded through LWCF are selected using a two-stage process. First the 

regions review and rank projects according to the Strategic Land Acquisition Rating System (SLARS). 

Top regional projects are submitted to the Agency headquarters, where they compete nationally against 

other projects proposed by other Forest Service Regions. Criteria tie the selection process to the Land and 

Water Conservation Fund Act and the Agency’s Strategic Plan goals and objectives, and are used to 

identify and prioritize acquisitions to maximize public benefit. Congressionally approved project funds 

are allocated to the benefiting Regions as soon as all parties are ready to close on the sale of the property. 

Acquisitions may be funded through other means such as Sisk Act funds or revenue raised through sales 

or exchanges. Information about the SLARS and the National criteria are available on the Forest Service 

web site at http://www.fs.fed.us/land/staff/LWCF/index.shtml. The processes used to identify and 

recommend funding for the Priority Recreational Access Parcels and the CLP are described elsewhere in 

this section.

Acquisition management funding is allocated to the Regions using criteria based on workload, including 

prior year accomplishments and new current fiscal year appropriations for projects. Cash equalization 

funds are accessed at the time an individual land exchange is ready to close. 
FY 2013 Budget Justification UDSA Forest Service

Land Acquisition 7-6

FY 2013 Land and Water Conservation Fund Priority Projects

Priority 

Order Project Name Forest State Amount

Forest Service Core Acquisitions

1

John Day River 

Headwaters Malheur OR $ 2,040,000 

2 Tenderfoot Lewis & Clark MT $ 3,000,000 

3 Miranda Canyon Carson NM $ 2,656,000 

4 Great Lakes Northwoods Superior, Ottawa,

Chequamegon-Nicolet MN/MI/WI $1,745,000 

5 Grey Towers Grey Towers National 

Historic Site PA $1,400,000 

6 Hurdygurdy Six Rivers CA $1,300,000 

7

Whitewater Bay, 

Admiralty NM Tongass AK $800,000 

8 Leech Lake Mountain Mendocino CA $1,125,000 

9 Ophir Valley Uncompahgre CO $1,000,000 

10 Pacific Crest National 

Scenic Trail Several CA/OR/WA $618,000 

11 Bering River Chugach AK $ 1,000,000 

12 Salmon - Selway Initiative 

Area

Salmon-Challis and 

Sawtooth NRA ID $500,000 

13 NC Threatened Treasures Pisgah NC $1,250,000 

14 Fairlawn Plantation 

Project Francis Marion SC $1,000,000 

Priority Recreational 

Access $5,000,000 

Acquisition Management $7,500,000 

Cash Equalization $1,000,000 

Forest Service Core Projects Total $32,934,000 

Collaborative Landscape Planning Projects

Crown of the Continent 

Northern Rockies: MT 

Legacy Completion

Lolo/Flathead MT $14,800,000 

Florida/Georgia Longleaf 

Pine Apalachicola/Osceola FL $6,400,000 

Crown of the Continent 

Greater Yellowstone

Bridger Teton/CaribouTarghee WY/ID $3,800,000 

Collaborative Landscape Planning Projects Total $25,000,000 

Grand Total – FY 2013 $57,934,000
FY 2013 Budget Justification UDSA Forest Service

Land Acquisition 7-7

Collaborative Landscape Planning

The 2013 Federal Land Acquisition program builds on efforts started in 2010 and 2011 to strategically 

invest in interagency landscape-scale conservation projects while continuing to meet agency-specific 

programmatic needs. The Department of the Interior and the U.S. Forest Service collaborated extensively 

to develop a process to more effectively coordinate land acquisitions with government and local 

community partners to achieve the highest priority shared conservation goals.

The new Collaborative Landscape Planning (CLP) process is designed to: 

Use LWCF to incentivize collaborative planning for measurable outcomes at the landscape scale;

Invest LWCF resources in the most ecologically important landscapes; and 

Invest in projects that have a clear strategy to reach shared goals grounded in science-based 

planning, are backed by strong local community support, and will make the most efficient use of 

Federal funds.

For 2013, DOI and USDA are piloting the CLP process with a combined request of $109 million. 

Approximately $90 million is requested among the three DOI bureaus and the remaining $25 million by

the Forest Service. The 2013 CLP projects have been evaluated by a Technical Advisory Committee 

(TAC) according to merit-based criteria in the following categories:

Process – ensure proposals are built through Federal agency and local stakeholder collaboration 

and make efficient use of Federal funding.

Outcomes – ensure Federal resources are targeted to achieve important biological, recreational, 

cultural and socio-economic outcomes.

Urgency – ensure funding is focused on outcomes that may be lost today if no action is taken or 

that are particularly achievable today.

Contribution to national priorities – ensure local proposals are important contributors to the 

highest priority national conservation goals.

Through this rigorous evaluation process, the joint DOI-USDA National Selection Committee selected 

the Northern Rockies and the Florida-Georgia Longleaf Initiative landscapes, as well as an initial 

investment in the Greater Yellowstone landscape, as the priorities for pilot funding. 

Investing now in these ecologically important but threatened landscapes will ensure that they remain 

resilient in the face of development pressures and global change. Smart investment in strategic 

conservation in these landscapes will prevent further ecosystem decline or collapse.

In the Northern Rockies, the collaborating Federal agencies have been working with NGO partners, local 

community groups such as the Blackfoot Challenge & Rocky Mountain Front Landowner Advisory 

Group, and state and county government officials, to tailor the Federal acquisition program in a way to 

achieve a synergy between private rights, open space, traditional land uses and conservation. This shared 

vision includes maintaining working ranches and forests by acquiring conservation easements as well as 

acquiring lands in fee that will provide public access and enjoyment.

The landscape is home to a number of large game species. Antelope, elk, deer, and moose range 

throughout the acquisition area, and can be hunted within some fee ownership acquisitions. The Federal

acquisition projects will complement the conservation goals of State wildlife action plans as well as other 

conservation plans including Partners in Flight, Endangered Species Recovery Plans, Forest Management 

Plans and agency general management and departmental-level strategic plans.
FY 2013 Budget Justification UDSA Forest Service

Land Acquisition 7-8

In the Florida-Georgia Longleaf Initiative landscape, Federal agencies drew from Florida wildlife habitat 

gap analyses, recovery plans, other Florida and Federal natural resource assessments and initiatives, and 

local government and general public input, to develop a plan for land acquisition that targets the most 

critical conservation needs. The endangered red-cockaded woodpecker (RCW) is the keystone species of 

the longleaf pine ecosystem which once encompassed up to 98 million acres of the Southeast, now 

reduced to about 3 million acres, much of it in poor condition. The Forest Service, Fish and Wildlife 

Service, and the State of Florida have collaborated over the last 20 years to dramatically grow the RCW 

populations and promote the recovery of the longleaf pine ecosystem through the RCW Southern Range 

Translocation Cooperative, and to protect and expand critical wildlife areas and the Florida National 

Scenic Trail corridor.

The acquisitions funded in this request allow these long-time partners to focus on the most critical needs 

of each agency in support of our shared priority of longleaf pine ecosystem conservation & restoration 

and endangered and threatened species recovery. The lands selected for this proposal are the highest 

priority for each unit to protect critical habitat, improve management, protect private lands from wildfire, 

and leverage the efforts of our conservation partners to secure these tracts for Federal protection. 

In the Greater Yellowstone landscape, the planned acquisitions will contribute to species conservation and 

will secure habitat connectivity for large game species including elk, deer and moose. The network of 

protected lands in this ecosystem supports a robust local tourism economy which draws millions of 

tourists annually for outdoor recreation, hunting and angling. Development of unprotected lands in this 

area is an urgent threat to the landscape’s ecological integrity and to the rural character of the landscape 

that underpins the area’s tourism economy.

The following table displays the CLP funding recommendation by USDA and DOI Agency: Forest 

Service, Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management and National Park Service.
FY 2013 Budget Justification UDSA Forest Service

Land Acquisition 7-9

FY 2013 Land and Water Conservation Fund Collaborative Landscape Planning Projects

Bureau Unit Parcel Name Cost

($ in 

thousands) 

Longleaf Pine: 

 Florida-Georgia Longleaf Initiative

BLM Lathrop Bayou Habitat Management Area St. Joe Timberlands $ 412 

FWS St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge Sam Shine 

Foundation $ 17,514 

FWS St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge The Nature 

Conservancy $ 15,398 

FWS Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge Forest Investment 

Associates $ 5,233 

FWS Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge The Conservation 

Fund $ 8,403 

USFS Apalachicola National Forest / Osceola National Forest $ 6,400 

Crown of the Continent:

 Northern Rockies

BLM Blackfoot River Special Resource Management 

Area/Lewis & Clark National Trail

The Nature 

Conservancy $ 4,572 

BLM Blackfoot River Special Resource Management 

Area/Lewis & Clark National Trail

Private Landowner $ 1,000 

NPS Glacier National Park Harrison Creek $ 3,323 

FWS Rocky Mountain Front Conservation Area (CA) , 

Blackfoot Valley CA , Swan Valley CA

Private Landowner 

(Parcel #1) $ 1,008 

FWS Rocky Mountain Front Conservation Area (CA) , 

Blackfoot Valley CA , Swan Valley CA

Private Landowner 

(Parcel #2) $ 6,142 

FWS Rocky Mountain Front Conservation Area (CA) , 

Blackfoot Valley CA , Swan Valley CA

Private Landowner 

(Parcel #3) $ 1,170 

FWS Rocky Mountain Front Conservation Area (CA) , 

Blackfoot Valley CA , Swan Valley CA

Private Landowner 

(Parcel #4) $ 3,360 

FWS Rocky Mountain Front Conservation Area (CA) , 

Blackfoot Valley CA , Swan Valley CA

Private Landowner 

(Parcel #5) $ 1,425 

FWS Rocky Mountain Front Conservation Area (CA) , 

Blackfoot Valley CA , Swan Valley CA

Private Landowner 

(Parcel #6) $ 927 

FWS Rocky Mountain Front Conservation Area (CA) , 

Blackfoot Valley CA , Swan Valley CA

Private Landowner 

(parcel #7) $ 310 

FWS Rocky Mountain Front Conservation Area (CA) , 

Blackfoot Valley CA , Swan Valley CA

The Nature 

Conservancy $ 5,400 

USFS Montana Legacy Completion - Lolo/Flathead NF $ 14,800 

Greater Yellowstone

NPS Grand Teton National Park State of Wyoming 

Lands $ 8,000 

USFS Bridger-Teton National Forest / Caribou-Targhee National Forest $ 3,800 
FY 2013 Budget Justification UDSA Forest Service

Land Acquisition 7-10

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FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Other Appropriations 8-1

Appropriation Range Betterment Fund

(dollars in thousands)

FY 2011 

Enacted

FY 2012 

Enacted

FY 2013 

President's 

Budget

Program 

Changes

Percent of 

Program 

Changes

Range Betterment Fund

Annual Appropriations $2,552 $3,257 $2,360 -$897 -28%

Range Betterment Fund Total 2,552 3,257 2,360 -897 -28%

Annual Appropriation FTEs 9 12 10 -2 -17%

Total Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs) 9 12 10 -2 -17%

Range Betterment Fund

Range Betterment Fund 2,552 3,257 2,360 -897 -28%

FY 2009 

Actual

FY 2010 

Actual

FY 2011 

Target

FY 2011 

Actual

FY 2012 

Target

FY 2013 

Target

Range Betterment Fund

Number of range structural improvements 374 403 370 379 350 335

FY 2013 Program Changes 

The FY 2013 President’s Budget proposes $2,360,000 for Range Betterment, a decrease of $897,000 

below the FY 2012 Enacted. This program emphasizes essential structural and non-structural 

improvements prescribed in grazing allotment NEPA decision documents. Treatment of invasive plant 

species related to permitted livestock use continues to be a priority for non-structural rangeland 

improvement work. 

Past Performance 

In FY 2011, the agency constructed or improved a total of 379 structures: 170 using Range Betterment 

Funds and an additional 209 structures through other programs. Range Betterment also funded 87,753 

acres of rangeland vegetation improvement. 

Program Description 

Program Overview

The Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976; (43 U.S.C. 1751) P.L. 94-579, as amended by, 

Public Rangelands Improvement Act of 1978 (43 U.S.C. 1751(b)(1) P.L. 95-514, authorizes this program.

The Range Betterment program utilizes one-half of grazing receipts from National Forest System (NFS) 

lands in the 16 Western States for rangeland rehabilitation, protection, and improvements on the NFS 

lands from which the receipts were collected. 

Allocation and Integration

Funds are allocated proportionately to the regions where receipts are collected. Activities performed to 

improve forage, change vegetative composition, control patterns of use, provide water, stabilize soil and 

water conditions, and provide habitat for livestock and wildlife include, but are not limited to: 

construction of water developments to aid in livestock distribution, building fences to protect sensitive 

resources, and treatment projects to alter soil and vegetation conditions on NFS lands. These activities 

enhance or stabilize vegetative conditions, improve water quality, maintain riparian areas and stream 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Other Appropriations 8-2

banks while conserving threatened or endangered plant and animal species. Funds may also be used to 

treat noxious weeds that are present as a result of permitted livestock grazing. 

Partnerships 

Grazing permittees are significant and important partners in the implementation of rangeland betterment 

projects. Program funds are leveraged with permittees’ funds or in-kind contributions to enhance 

livestock management. This partnership also provides a foundation for involving a variety of special 

interest organizations such as cattlemen’s associations, resource conservation organizations, and land 

trusts further enhancing opportunities for rangeland betterment. 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Other Appropriations 8-3

Appropriation

Gifts, Donations, and Bequests for Forest 

and Rangeland Research

(dollars in thousands)

FY 2011 

Enacted

FY 2012 

Enacted

FY 2013 

President's 

Budget

Program 

Changes

Percent of 

Program 

Changes

Gifts, Donations, and Bequests for Forest and Rangeland 

Research

Annual Appropriations $50 $45 $46 $1 2%

Gifts, Donations, and Bequests for Forest and Rangeland 

Research Total 50 45 46 1 2%

Annual Appropriation FTEs 0 0 0 0 0%

Total Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs) 0 0 0 0 0%

Gifts, Donations, and Bequests for Forest and Rangeland 

Research

Gifts, Donations, and Bequests for Forest and Rangeland 

Research 50 45 46 1 2%

FY 2013 Program Changes

The FY 2013 President’s Budget proposes $46,000 for Gifts, Donations, and Bequest for Research, a

increase of $1,000 from FY 2012 Enacted. 

Past Performance

In FY 2011, the Forest Service received donations from individuals and businesses for research work 

units and other organizational sub-units to further their research and development programs. The funds 

were used to purchase supplies and equipment, and to offset travel to training and seminars.

Program Overview

Program Description

This special account serves for acceptance of gifts, donations, and bequests for deposit that are used to 

establish or operate any forest and rangeland research facility. These gifts or donations can be received 

from outside sources, such as individuals and businesses.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Other Appropriations 8-4

Appropriation

Management of National Forest Lands for 

Subsistence Uses

(dollars in thousands)

FY 2011 

Enacted

FY 2012 

Enacted

FY 2013 

President's 

Budget

Program 

Changes

Percent of 

Program 

Changes

Management of National Forest Lands for Subsistence Uses 

Annual Appropriations $2,577 $2,573 0 -$2,573 -100%

Management of National Forest Lands for Subsistence Uses 

Total 2,577 2,573 0 -2,573 -100%

Annual Appropriation FTEs 14 14 0 -14 -100%

Total Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs) 14 14 0 -14 -100%

Management of National Forest Lands for Subsistence Uses 

Management of National Forest Lands for Subsistence Uses 2,577 2,573 0 -2,573 -100%

FY 2013 Program Changes

The FY 2013 President’s Budget proposes including Management of National Forest Lands for 

Subsistence within the National Forest System appropriation. Please refer to information about funding 

changes for this program within the National Forest System Subsistence Management Section.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Wildland Fire Management 9-1

Appropriation Wildland Fire Management

(dollars in thousands)

FY 2011 

Enacted

FY 2012 

Enacted

FY 2013 

President's 

Budget

Program 

Changes

Percent of 

Program 

Changes

Wildland Fire Management

Annual Appropriations $2,168,042 $1,974,467 $1,971,394 -$3,073 0%

Wildland Fire Management Total 2,168,042 1,974,467 1,971,394 -3,073 0%

Annual Appropriation FTEs 12,677 12,078 11,568 -510 -4%

Recovery Act FTEs 0 0 0 0 0%

Total Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs) 12,677 12,078 11,568 -510 -4%

Wildland Fire Management

Preparedness 673,650 1,004,442 1,001,513 -2,929 -0%

Suppression 995,511 537,858 616,000 78,142 15%

Hazardous Fuels 339,604 317,076 241,600 -75,476 -24%

Rehabilitation and Restoration 11,477 0 0 0 0%

Research and Development 23,869 21,699 20,634 -1,065 -5%

Joint Fire Science Program 7,984 7,250 7,226 -24 -0%

Forest Health Management - Federal Lands 20,710 15,958 0 -15,958 -100%

Forest Health Management - Cooperative Lands 11,405 8,353 0 -8,353 -100%

State Fire Assistance 64,870 55,475 72,688 17,213 31%

Volunteer Fire Assistance 8,982 6,356 11,733 5,377 85%

Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Fund 9,980 0 0 0 0%

Use of Emergency Suppression Fund 0 0 0 0 0%

Wildland Fire Management Overview

The FY 2013 President’s Budget proposes $1,971,394,000 for Wildland Fire Management (WFM), a 

program decrease of $3,073,000 below the FY 2012 Enacted level. This funding level fully supports the 

10-year average for fire suppression and funds preparedness needs. The FY 2012 Enacted includes

$239,616,000 in carryover emergency fire suppression funds.

Structural changes that affect funding comparisons are also occurring in this program in FY 2013,

including approximately $76 million in Hazardous Fuels funds moving to the Integrated Resource 

Restoration program in the National Forest System appropriation to fund fuels reduction outside the 

Wildland Urban Interface. In addition, the Forest Health budget line items for Federal and Cooperative 

Lands are being consolidated under the State and Private Forestry appropriation, so that funding is no 

longer in the WFM program. The Budget also proposes consolidating State and Volunteer Fire Assistance 

programs from the State and Private Forestry appropriation under WFM. 

This request continues the President’s commitment to a responsible budget for wildfires. The 10-year 

average of suppression costs is fully funded. Suppression funding will come from both the regular 

suppression account and the FLAME Wildfire Suppression Reserve Fund account, which, when 

combined, total $931,000,000. The two-tier system of Suppression and FLAME requires the Secretary of 

Agriculture to authorize expenditure of funds from the FLAME account. This ensures that fire 

management resources are used in a cost-effective manner in high priority areas, such as the Wildland 

Urban Interface (WUI), and that sufficient funds are available to fight fires without diverting funds from 

other critical Forest Service programs and activities

The WFM program recognizes the importance of integrating fire as a critical natural process in land and 

resource management plans and activities, managing wildfire across landownership boundaries, and 

applying the best available science. The funding will allow the Forest Service to reduce fuels on 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Wildland Fire Management 9-2

approximately 1,000,000 acres of national forest and adjacent lands within the Wildland Urban Interface 

(WUI), with Community Wildfire Protection Plans (CWPPs) identifying areas to be treated.

This request continues to include in Preparedness the costs of aviation assets and cost pools that were 

historically shifted to the Suppression account.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Wildland Fire Management 9-3

Budget Line Item Preparedness

(dollars in thousands)

FY 2011 

Enacted

FY 2012 

Enacted

FY 2013 

President's 

Budget

Program 

Changes

Percent of 

Program 

Changes

Preparedness

Annual Appropriations $673,650 $1,004,442 $1,001,513 -$2,929 -0%

Preparedness Total 673,650 1,004,442 1,001,513 -2,929 -0%

Annual Appropriations FTEs 6,312 6,915 6,477 -438 -6%

Total Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs) 6,312 6,915 6,477 -438 -6%

FY 2009 

Actual

FY 2010 

Actual

FY 2011 

Target

FY 2011 

Actual

FY 2012 

Target

FY 2013 

Target

Preparedness

Percent change from the 10-year average for 

the number of wildfires controlled during initial 

attack. 0.3% 0.8% 0.5% -0.8% 0.5% 0.5%

Percent change from the 10-year average for 

the number of human caused wildfires. 5.0% -15.7% -1.0% -11.6% -2.0% -2.0%

FY 2013 Program Changes

The FY 2013 President's Budget proposes $1,001,513,000 for Preparedness, a program decrease of 

$2,929,000 from the FY 2012 Enacted. This funding fully reflects the costs of readiness resources and 

program management and includes an additional $24 million to pay for the increased costs of 

modernizing the firefighting large airtanker fleet.

The Preparedness program ensures agency capability to protect life, property, and natural resources while 

assuring an appropriate, risk informed and effective response to wildfires that is consistent with land and 

resource management objectives. Firefighter and public safety are the primary considerations for all 

operations. 

In FY 2013, the agency will continue to emphasize strategies to increase operational efficiency, including: 

Predictive Services analysis of fire season potential to strategically deploy firefighting resources 

Risk-informed, performance-based fire suppression strategies 

Web-based decision support tools 

Developing, enhancing, and integrating of technology applications 

Centralized management of aviation assets 

Exclusive use aviation contracts 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Wildland Fire Management 9-4

The Forest Service will continue to deploy, assess, and improve the Fire Program Analysis (FPA) system. 

FPA national analysis and outputs will be used to inform and develop FY 2012 and FY 2013 fire planning 

and budget processes and decisions. Specifically, these outputs will be used in the formulation of the FY 

2013 Federal Wildland Fire Management Preparedness and Suppression programs to demonstrate tradeoffs between Suppression and Preparedness requests. Outputs from the FY 2011 Analysis will also be 

used to evaluate FY 2012 program budget allocations relative to potential performance.

Phase II of the Cohesive Strategy will build upon the national strategy through development of regional 

strategies and comparative risk assessments that will take into account local and regional priorities. This 

science-based framework will allow for systematic evaluation of a range of alternative future scenarios 

and land management options at national, regional, and sub-regional scales, building towards the ultimate 

outcome of using the best available data to analyze wildfire risk across the country and help inform 

management decisions regarding allocation of resources to best address this risk. The final Phase III, the 

National Risk Trade-Off Analysis, will develop models that will better inform decision-makers and allow 

them to understand the risks and trade-offs associated with their wildland fire management decisions.

Past Performance

The agency’s preparedness performance measures identify key program outcome and efficiency measures 

that focus on reducing fire risk. These measures track the agency’s success in reducing human-caused 

wildfires and maintaining its ability to control wildfires effectively. In FY 2011, the number of humancaused wildfires was 11.6 percent below the 10-year average, far exceeding the planned amount. This 

measure has significant variability over the 10-year period and is affected by local weather. The agency’s 

initial attack success rate, the percent of fires that were suppressed in less than 300 acres, was 97.1 

percent which is 0.77 percent less than the 10-year average, slightly underachieving the planned amount. 

Wildfire response decision making is evolving based on risk informed analysis that reduces exposure to 

wildland firefighters while ensuring high valued resources are protected. The results of these decisions 

allow for fires that traditionally would have been suppressed immediately to be managed to achieve 

multiple resource objectives, as identified in the National Forests’ Land Management Plans. These fires 

are now managed more cost effectively while achieving agency land management objectives by enabling 

Resource Summary: FY 2010 - 2013

Resource

FY 2010

Actual

FY 2011

Actual

FY 2012

Planned

FY 2013

Estimated

Firefighters (FFTR) – Total is inclusive of categories below 10,480 10,480 10,480 10,480

 Type I Interagency Hot Shot Crews (twenty person)

67 crews

1,340 FFTR

67 crews

1,340 FFTR

67 crews

1,340 FFTR

67 crews

1,340 FFTR

 Other Firefighters 8420 8,420 8,420 8,420

 Smoke Jumpers 320 320 320 320

 Prevention Technicians 400 400 400 400

Engines 950 950 951 951

Heavy Equipment – Dozers, Tractor Plow Units, Tenders 210 210 210 210

Helicopters

 Type 1 28 26 26 26

 Type 2 41 41 41 41

 Type 3 53 52 52 52

Airtankers

 Large Airtankers 19 up to 19 up to 19 up to 19

 Single Engine Airtanker 2 2 2 2 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Wildland Fire Management 9-5

fire to fulfill its natural role in restoring landscapes. The agency still intends to have a goal of a 98 percent 

initial attack success rate for the fires it makes the decision to suppress, while protecting all high valued 

resources. 

Program Description

Program Overview

Wildland fire is a natural and necessary component of restoring and maintaining most of the ecosystems 

managed by the Forest Service. In efforts to minimize the negative impacts, while maximizing the utility 

of unplanned fire on the landscape, a fire organization is maintained that has the capability to ensure 

appropriate, risk informed, and effective initial response operations to wildfires. The Preparedness 

program protects National Forest System, other Federal, State, and private lands from wildfire damage by 

deploying firefighters and other suppression resources to reduce threats to life and values at risk 

commensurate with land management objectives. Key components of the wildland fire response mission 

delivery are readiness capability (expressed via resources and capability) and program leadership 

necessary to ensure safe and effective operations. Mission delivery also includes planning, prevention, 

detection, information and education, training, equipment, advancement of technology, program analysis 

and reviews, and other fire program management activities.

The Preparedness program is a core component of implementing the National Cohesive Wildland Fire 

Strategy. The Cohesive Strategy, developed in FY 2010, is a national collaborative effort between 

wildland fire organizations, land managers, and policy making officials representing Federal, State and 

local governments, tribal interests, and non-governmental organizations that builds on the successes of the 

National Fire Plan and other foundational documents. The Cohesive Strategy seeks to address wildland 

fire issues in a holistic and integrated manner. Federal, State, local, tribal and nongovernmental partners 

completed Phase I in 2011, which outlines the national strategy to address wildland fire issues across the 

Nation. Phase II, which will develop a risk based framework for evaluating local, regional, and national 

alternatives for wildfire response and preparedness at a mix of different temporal and geographic scales. 

These partners identified three key areas that present the greatest challenges and the greatest opportunities 

for making a positive difference in addressing our national wildfire issues:

Restoring and maintaining resilient landscapes; 

Creating fire-adapted communities; and

Responding to wildfires.

In order to streamline operations, the Preparedness program pre-positions resources as needed to ensure 

an appropriate, risk informed, and effective wildfire response. The Forest Service is also leveraging 

existing resources by coordinating wildfire response actions across jurisdictions and funding training for 

multiple partners to bolster operational capability and increase effectiveness of collaborator preparedness 

assets. 

Allocation and Integration

Preparedness funds are allocated to regions based on predicted fire activity and anticipated workloads. 

The placement, and associated funding allocations, of specific resources considers logistical and 

mobilization efficiencies. The agency’s overall readiness capability and resource geographical placements 

have been established through various fire planning and budgeting analyses. However, as the fire season 

develops and ongoing risk is assessed, national resources are repositioned to ensure timely and effective 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Wildland Fire Management 9-6

responses. Predictive services and other resources are used to analyze potential seasonal fire activity to 

guide strategic placement of resources.

The Forest Service continues its strategy to deploy, assess, and improve the Fire Program Analysis 

system. The system provides an interagency investment analysis of initial response and suppression, 

displaying resource, cost, and effectiveness trade-offs between program components relative to 

performance metrics. The Fire Program Analysis (FPA) was used to support and inform the FY2013 

budget formulation. FPA was used to assess trade-offs between different potential preparedness and 

suppression scenarios. The current FPA outputs provide information suitable for national, strategic, 

wildland fire management planning. We will continue to analyze the potential applications of FPA to 

assist managers with budget allocation decisions.

Partnerships

The Preparedness program has numerous partnerships with other Federal agencies and States which 

include protection agreements, collaborative research efforts, and development of an interagency fire 

planning and budgeting analysis system (Fire Program Analysis). The agency also collaborates with 

cooperators in training, planning, equipment use contracts, and interagency fire coordination centers. 

The Forest Service both sponsors and participates in interagency training exercises. Municipal, State, and 

other fire, emergency, and medical professionals are actively recruited for incident training drills. The 

experience and education provided to the participants strengthens job performance and communication 

throughout the U.S. emergency response community.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Wildland Fire Management 9-7

Budget Line Item Suppression

(dollars in thousands)

FY 2011 

Enacted

FY 2012 

Enacted

FY 2013 

President's 

Budget

Program 

Changes

Percent of 

Program 

Changes

Suppression

Annual Appropriations $995,511 $537,858 $616,000 $78,142 15%

Suppression Total 995,511 537,858 616,000 78,142 15%

Annual Appropriations FTEs 3,578 2,700 3,102 402 15%

Total Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs) 3,578 2,700 3,102 402 15%

FY 2009 

Actual

FY 2010 

Actual

FY 2011 

Target

FY 2011 

Actual

FY 2012 

Target

FY 2013 

Target

Fire Operations - Suppression

Percent of fires not contained in initial attack 

that exceed a Stratified Cost Index (SCI) 22.0% 39.7% 18.0% 20.8% 14.0% 18.0%

Three-year average percent of fires not 

contained in initial attack that exceed a 

Stratified Cost Index (SCI) 20.4% 26.7% 19.6% 27.5% 24.0% 24.0%

FY 2013 Program Changes

The FY 2013 President’s Budget proposes $616,000,000 for Suppression, an increase of $78,142,000 

from the FY 2012 Enacted. This funding fully reflects the costs of readiness resources and program 

management. The request, when combined with FLAME Wildfire Suppression Reserve Fund, fully funds

the 10-year average, adjusted for inflation, and includes indirect costs related to suppression as required 

by Congress. The Budget proposes $315,000,000 for funding the FLAME Wildfire Suppression Reserve 

Fund (see the FLAME Wildfire Suppression Reserve Fund Chapter for more information).

Suppression is an “All Lands” program that funds activities to suppress wildland fires on or threatening 

National Forest System lands, other Federal lands, and 20 million acres of non-Federal lands under fire 

protection agreements. Funding for Suppression enables the agency to respond to unplanned wildland fire 

incidents which threaten lives, property, and resources. Wildfires continue to be larger and more difficult 

to suppress due to the effects of a changing climate, persistent drought and hazardous fuels conditions, 

and the increased size and complexity of housing developments adjacent to the Wildland Urban Interface 

(WUI). The Forest Service recognizes the costs of WUI suppression activities and will continue to 

aggressively pursue cost-mitigation measures including: 

Focusing hazardous fuels funding for treatments in the WUI 

Using risk-informed, performance-based suppression strategies 

Clarifying roles and responsibilities in the WUI 

Using appropriate cost-share agreements 

Deploying decision support tools

The Forest Service and the Department of the Interior are committed to restoring the resilience and 

diversity of fire-adapted ecosystems on the landscape, consistent with public safety needs. The agencies 

will identify, establish, and maintain necessary governance and risk management protocols that will guide 

program management and incident response with the application of resources to reduce the unnecessary 

risk to firefighter safety in the short term and to the long-term resiliency of fire-adapted ecosystems.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Wildland Fire Management 9-8

The Forest Service will expand its efforts to manage wildfires to meet land management objectives. The 

Forest Service will make a concerted effort to allow fire to return to the landscape when these fires will 

improve the health of the forest and when risks to safety and communities make it appropriate to do so.

As previously mentioned, the Phase III of the Cohesive Strategy will develop models that will better 

inform decision-makers and allow them to understand the risks and trade-offs associated with wildland 

fire management decisions.

Past Performance 

The Forest Service suppression performance measures are program outcome and efficiency measures that 

focus on reducing fire risk. To help analyze suppression costs the agency uses an efficiency measure that 

compares actual to expected suppression costs via a stratified cost index (SCI). 

SCI is a set of predictive models based on spatially explicit historical large fire data from 1995-2004. SCI 

determines expected suppression costs for each fire utilizing several factors found to influence 

suppression costs. Fires with costs more than one standard deviation higher or lower than expected are 

considered outside the range of expected SCI costs. In real time, the SCI provides a comparison of a fire’s 

expenditures to historical fires with similar characteristics (including fuel type, slope, elevation, and total 

housing value), increasing cost awareness and providing a basis for fire incident budgeting. 

The percentage of incidents not contained in initial attack that exceeded the SCI in FY 2011 was 20.8 

percent. The number of incidents exceeding the SCI decreased from 39.7 percent in FY 2010. Although 

we did not achieve our planned accomplishment, 18 percent, we did have a significant improvement from 

FY 2010 due to the implementation of risk management and fiscal accountability initiatives. The FY 2011 

accomplishment reflects the downward trend of previous years excluding FY 2010, and it is expected that 

this trend will continue. Given the overall increased severity of the FY 2011 fire season adequate 

resources were deployed to incidents to safely and effectively manage large fires. However, some regions 

had significantly less severe fire seasons than usual. Within these areas the Forest Service, in some cases, 

allocated greater resources to achieve necessary training and succession objectives while ensuring a risk 

informed and appropriate response.

We will continue to refine how large and complex wildfires are managed, focusing on improving risk 

management protocols and striving to increase incident management efficiency. National Incident 

Management Organization (NIMO) teams will continue to actively engage national forests and local 

communities in risk assessment and the development of risk-informed decision making. Fire managers 

will use the latest decision support tools, emerging technology, and localized knowledge to make 

decisions and measure the probability of success of those decisions to reduce risk while more effectively 

managing cost. The agency will continue the development and implementation of Large Fire Management 

Protocols and Risk Assessment on those national forests that historically have experienced the majority of 

large fire suppression expenditures.

Program Description

Program Overview

The Suppression program is the primary source of funding for wildfire response and helps restore and 

maintain resilient landscapes by managing naturally ignited, unplanned wildland fires on NFS lands to 

accomplish resource management, ecological restoration, and fuels reduction goals, where appropriate. 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Wildland Fire Management 9-9

This program provides resources to efficiently suppress wildland fires on or threatening NFS lands and 

other Federal and non-Federal lands under fire protection agreements. The program funds: 

Firefighter salaries

Equipment in direct support of a fire incident

Aviation asset operations

Incident support functions

Fire management administration

We also provide suppression resources to Department of the Interior incidents on a reciprocal nonreimbursement basis. In addition, the Suppression program funds personnel and resources for the 

following activities: 

Attainment of Resource Benefits - Management of naturally ignited, unplanned wildland fires on 

NFS lands to accomplish resource management, ecological restoration, and fuels reduction goals 

consistent with the revised guidance for the implementation of the Federal wildland fire policy 

and land management plan direction.

Burned Area Emergency Response - Post-fire actions on NFS lands to prevent or minimize 

unacceptable erosion and loss of soil productivity, deterioration of water quality and downstream 

damage, changes to ecosystem function, establishment of non-native invasive species, and 

degradation of cultural and natural resources. 

Severity - Increases readiness and response capability when predicted or actual burning conditions 

exceed those planned and when ignitions are deemed imminent. This capability is also used 

during early or extended fire seasons. 

Non-fire Incident Response - Supports the Department of Homeland Security, and the Federal 

Emergency Management Agency through Forest Service participation in the National Response 

Framework and other activities authorized by the Stafford Act (42 U.S.C. 5121, as amended). 

The Forest Service utilizes the Wildland Fire Decision Support System (WFDSS) in managing wildland 

fires. This system is structured to provide access to a suite of decision support tools, documentation of 

fire-management decisions, and long-term operational plans when needed. WFDSS supports managers in 

assessing management options with regard to risk and tactical implementation strategies on wildland fires. 

WFDSS is a decision-analysis process for all fires and is replacing previous systems. 

Allocation and Integration

The Forest Service allocates funds from the Suppression account only for active incident response. Each 

incident is immediately sized up and an incident risk analysis is completed. Fires may go in to extended 

attack, but not require a high level management team. If fires escape initial response, and if extended 

attack if sufficiently complex, a Type 1 or Type 2 Incident Management Team is assigned. 

These complex extended attack incidents may be declared eligible for FLAME funding by the Secretary 

of Agriculture. Once the Secretary makes the declaration, funds are moved from the FLAME Reserve 

Fund into the Suppression account. 

Partnerships

The Suppression program is a key component of implementing the National Cohesive Wildland Fire 

Strategy. The Cohesive Strategy, developed in FY 2010, is a national collaborative effort between 

wildland fire organizations, land managers, and policy making officials representing Federal, State and 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Wildland Fire Management 9-10

local governments, tribal interests, and non-governmental organizations that builds on the successes of the 

National Fire Plan and other foundational documents. The Cohesive Strategy seeks to address wildland 

fire issues in a holistic and integrated manner. Federal, State, local, tribal and non-governmental partners 

developed Phase I. 

This new guidance is a broad, national strategy to address wildland fire issues across the Nation. Together 

with our partners, we identified three key areas that present the greatest challenges and the greatest 

opportunities for making a positive difference in addressing our national wildfire issues: 

1. Restoring and maintaining resilient landscapes 

2. Creating fire-adapted communities 

3. Responding to wildfires 

We maintain strong partnerships with other Federal agencies, States, local government entities, and 

contractors. Mutual-aid response agreements are often at the State level, but may be created at the local 

level. We encourage our wildland firefighters to cross train with State and local forces to be familiar with 

their communications, equipment, and capabilities if and when a complex multi-party response incident 

occurs. These local partnerships are essential to ensure protection of life, property, and resources through 

cost effective and efficient operations.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Wildland Fire Management 9-11

Budget Line Item Fire Operations - Other 

(dollars in thousands)

FY 2011 

Enacted

FY 2012 

Enacted

FY 2013 

President's 

Budget

Program 

Changes

Percent of 

Program 

Changes

Fire Operations - Other 

Annual Appropriations $488,901 $432,167 $353,881 -$78,286 -18%

Fire Operations - Other Total 488,901 432,167 353,881 -78,286 -18%

Annual Appropriations FTEs 2,749 2,463 1,989 -474 -19%

Total Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs) 2,749 2,463 1,989 -474 -19%

Fire Operations - Other

Hazardous Fuels 339,604 317,076 241,600 -75,476 -24%

Rehabilitation and Restoration 11,477 0 0 0 0%

Research and Development 23,869 21,699 20,634 -1,065 -5%

Joint Fire Science Program 7,984 7,250 7,226 -24 -0%

Forest Health Management - Federal Lands 20,710 15,958 0 -15,958 -100%

Forest Health Management - Cooperative Lands 11,405 8,353 0 -8,353 -100%

State Fire Assistance 64,870 55,475 72,688 17,213 31%

Volunteer Fire Assistance 8,982 6,356 11,733 5,377 85%

Other Fire Operations Overview

The Fire Operations-Other programs are Hazardous Fuels, National Fire Plan Research and Development, 

Joint Fire Sciences, State Fire Assistance, and Volunteer Fire Assistance. 

The Forest Health Management program for Federal and Cooperative Lands is moved to the State and 

Private Forestry appropriation. The Rehabilitation and Restoration program is incorporated into the 

Integrated Resource Restoration program under the National Forest System appropriation. Please refer to 

those sections for more information. 

The Fire Operations-Other programs focus on treating hazardous fuels in the Wildland Urban Interface 

areas, research and technology transfer activities, and provide vital support to assist local communities 

and State Foresters develop firefighting capacity to provide critical preparedness and response actions for 

communities at risk. 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Wildland Fire Management 9-12

Budget Line Item Hazardous Fuels

(dollars in thousands)

FY 2011 

Enacted

FY 2012 

Enacted

FY 2013 

President's 

Budget

Program 

Changes

Percent of 

Program 

Changes

Hazardous Fuels

Annual Appropriations $339,604 $317,076 $241,600 -$75,476 -24%

Hazardous Fuels Total 339,604 317,076 241,600 -75,476 -24%

Annual Appropriations FTEs 2,382 2,209 1,808 -401 -18%

Total Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs) 2,382 2,209 1,808 -401 -18%

FY 2009 

Actual

FY 2010 

Actual

FY 2011 

Target

FY 2011 

Actual

FY 2012 

Target

FY 2013 

Target

Hazardous Fuels

Acres of wildland-urban interface (WUI) highpriority hazardous fuels treated 2,189,820 1,955,057 1,600,000 1,611,991 1,200,000 1,000,000

Number of acres restored and maintained per 

million dollars gross investment. 4,482 4,125 3,614 3,910 3,000 2,800

Acres moved to a better condition class per 

million dollars gross investment. 1,487 1,184 1,428 1,060 1,039 1,002

Percent of treated acres identified in 

Community Wildfire Protection Plans or 

equivalent plans. 41.0% 44.8% 75.0% 60.8% 75.0% 75.0%

FY 2013 Program Changes

The FY 2013 President’s Budget proposes $241,600,000 for Hazardous Fuels, which reflects a funding 

decrease of $75,476,000 from the FY 2012 Enacted. This funding level reflects a shift of approximately 

$76,000,000 previously shown in the Hazardous Fuels budget line item into Integrated Resource 

Restoration (IRR). Funds that may have been spent outside the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) in 

previous years will now be combined into IRR to support integrated restoration of National Forest System 

(NFS) lands.

The Hazardous Fuels program other remaining funds in the Wildland Fire appropriation will focus on the 

WUI and high priority areas. The funds shown here, under hazardous fuels, will treat approximately 

1,000,000 acres of the highest priority acres in the WUI. WUI treatment cost per acre is more than four 

times the cost per acre for other areas because most of it is done mechanically, by hand crews, or with 

machinery. There is no economy of scale when working on lands adjacent to or in between homes. The 

target is lower than previous years reflecting the cost, time, and protection focus of these treatments.

The FY 2013 program will continue the path established in FY 2011 in which the woody biomass 

utilization grants program was modified to focus on “Wood to Energy” in alignment with the Secretary of 

Agriculture’s initiative. The focus is on providing assistance to pre-construction design and permits so the 

projects can then compete for funds available through programs administered by Rural Development or 

other agencies or for private equity. In addition, the Community Wood to Energy program is proposed for 

$3 million from this budget line item, with $1.25 million also being contributed by the Integrated 

Resource Restoration budget line item under the National Forest System appropriation. This program is 

focused on providing grants to States, Tribes and local governments to support developing community 

wood energy plans. 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Wildland Fire Management 9-13

Projects completed using hazardous fuels funds will focus on: 

Strategically protecting communities (and associated 

lives, property, and public infrastructure) which are at 

the highest risk from damaging wildfire. 

Providing a safer environment for wildland firefighting.

Supporting communities that are working to achieve 

Firewise standards; have identified acres to be treated in 

Community Wildfire Protection Plans (CWPPs) and

equivalent; and have made an investment in 

implementing local solutions to protect against wildland 

fire.

The agency continues to emphasize the importance of 

Community Wildfire Protection Plans (CWPPs) by prioritizing 

hazardous fuels treatments in the WUI that are identified in these 

plans. In FY 2011 almost 61% of the acres treated in the WUI 

were identified in such a plan. We are focusing on increasing this 

even further with an increased goal of 75% in FY 2012 and FY 

2013.

In FY 2013 this budget line item will also fund one program authorized in the 2008 Farm Bill (The Food, 

Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008) to encourage market development for biomass materials. The 

Forest Biomass for Energy program, administered by research and development, is funded at $10 million. 

Refer to the special exhibit on Biomass and Bioenergy for further details.

Past Performance

The Hazardous Fuels program treated over 2.7 million acres on National Forest System and adjacent 

lands in FY 2011, meeting its target of acres of Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) high-priority hazardous 

fuels treated. Field verification shows that over 400,000 acres burned by naturally ignited wildfires 

benefited ecosystems by moving them toward specific forest and grassland desired conditions and were 

counted in the accomplishments for FY 2011. We determine those acres affected by unplanned ignitions 

that have been moved toward desired conditions based on land management objectives which are affected 

by fire severity and other fire impacts. These resource objectives typically come from a Land and 

Resource Management Plan or other planning documents. Tools to determine the effects of the fire 

include satellite imagery or burn severity mapping, as well as collection of site-specific data. Naturally 

ignited fires that benefit ecosystems will continue to be an important part of the total Hazardous Fuels 

program, and the acres treated each year will vary with the activity of the fire season.

Percent of treated acres identified in Community Wildfire Protection Plans or equivalent plan: the targets 

for WUI treatments and the “percentage of acres treated in the WUI that have been identified in 

Community Wildfire Protection Plans” were just under target at 61 percent.

Number of acres treated to restore fire-adapted ecosystems which are maintained in desired conditions: 

In FY 2011, the Forest Service was also slightly under target for the number of acres maintained in 

desired conditions. 

Number of acres treated to restore fire-adapted ecosystems which are moved toward desired conditions 

(82 percent of target accomplished): Natural processes, such as long-term drought and the severity of the 

Dog Valley Fuels Reduction 

Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest

In May of 2011, 88 acres consisting 

mainly of shrubs and conifers were 

treated to reduce the threats 

associated with hazardous fuels. This 

effort removed 80 percent of the 

brush and small diameter conifers 

infected with dwarf mistletoe leaving 

a mosaic pattern of vegetation near 

Sierra County, California within the 

Carson Ranger District. This project 

will help to reduce fire intensities in 

the area. 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Wildland Fire Management 9-14

fire season, as well as resource availability, affect this measure, resulting in fluctuations in annual 

performance and trend. While the agency continues to meet “total acres treated” goals, it often takes 

multiple treatments to move an area toward desired conditions and it may take repeated entries over time 

to maintain an area in desired condition. Many treatments were designed to reduce risk to communities or 

sensitive watersheds. These types of treatments may not have changed condition class, though they 

achieved their goals. We continue to focus on treating more strategic acres, many of which are in the 

more costly WUI areas. 

Biomass Energy

In FY 2011, 17 biomass grant awards, from the Woody Biomass Utilization Grant program, totaling 

approximately $3 million were made to small business and community groups in Alaska, California, 

Colorado, Idaho, Kentucky, Montana, New York, Oregon, Washington and Wisconsin. These grants are a 

component of the Forest Services’ focus on bioenergy and biobased products that will result in secure, 

sustainable renewable energy sources and strong rural economies. Wood energy and biobased products 

are newer products that are part of an integrated wood products industry and need to be incorporated 

synergistically. To that end, seven of the grants above are associated with existing wood product 

manufacturers. This program has awarded a total of $33.6 million dollars to 140 grant recipients, 

including small businesses, non-profits, tribes and State agencies, in 22 States since 2005. Forest Service 

employees and partners provide technical assistance to grant applicants and in the administration of the 

awarded grants.

Program Description 

Program Overview

The Hazardous Fuels program restores forest health and reduces wildfire risks. Hazardous fuels are 

treated using a wide range of tools with the goal of reducing the risk of wildland fire to communities and 

the environment. 

Hazardous fuel reduction is reducing the quantity or changing the arrangement of naturally occurring 

living and dead vegetation in forests, woodlands, shrublands, and grasslands through prescribed burning, 

mechanical treatments, and other methods, to:

Protect communities (and associated lives, property, and public infrastructure) which are at the 

highest risk from damaging wildfire 

Provide a safer environment for wildland firefighting

These activities restore fire-adapted ecosystems and reduce the intensity, severity, or effects of wildland 

fire to within acceptable ecological parameters that are consistent with land management plan objectives. 

The fuels treatment program focuses on reducing the risks of wildland fire and long-term damage to 

resources and property. 

The hazardous fuels program requires that a fuels treatment effectiveness assessment be completed for 

every wildfire that starts in, or burns into, a fuel treatment. These assessments increase the understanding 

of the effects of hazardous fuels treatments on fire behavior, fire severity and fire suppression 

effectiveness.

Healthy, resilient landscapes have greater capacity to survive natural disturbances and large scale threats 

to sustainability, especially under changing and uncertain future environmental conditions, such as those 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Wildland Fire Management 9-15

driven by climate change and increasing human uses. Hazardous fuel projects emit greenhouse gases; 

however, they mitigate potentially greater quantities of emissions from uncharacteristic wildfire. 

Prescribed fire is an important fuels management practice that achieves desired ecosystem management 

objectives and manages greenhouse gas emissions in a controlled and measured manner. Hazardous fuels 

treatment, either through prescribed fire or mechanical treatment, requires skilled workers to implement. 

This program also serves as an important source of jobs, especially in rural communities. 

The Hazardous Fuels program is a key component of implementing the National Cohesive Wildland Fire 

Strategy and will contribute to successful outcomes in restoring and maintaining resilient landscapes, 

creating fire adapted communities, and responding to wildfires by funding projects that restore forest 

landscape health and reduce wildfire risks to communities. Hazardous fuels reduction can be the most 

effective way to reduce large fire suppression costs, protect community values, restore forest and 

grassland health, and improve firefighter and public safety.

Biomass

The Hazardous Fuels program funds biomass grants through the Woody Biomass Utilization Grant 

program up to $5 million annually. Since FY 2005, the Hazardous Fuels program has provided funding 

for this successful grants program to help build capacity for biomass utilization in support of fuels 

reduction and restoration. Biomass utilization provides energy from vegetation that we want to remove 

for fuels management. Using this biomass for energy, instead of just burning it in piles, contributes to 

rural economic vitality, national energy security, and reduces greenhouse gas emissions. 

Allocation and Integration

The Forest Service will continue to use the Hazardous Fuels Prioritization and Allocation System 

(HFPAS) to allocate funds to the field. Additional modifications to HFPAS will be made as better data 

and information becomes available. We will prioritize funding for communities that have: 

Identified acres to be treated in Community Wildfire Protection Plans (CWPPs)

Made an investment in implementing local solutions to protection against wildland fire

Partnerships

In addition to the integrated efforts within the Forest Service, we use our authorities and the Hazardous 

Fuels program to work with outside partners to address the wildland fire threats on other Federal, State, 

and private lands to: 

Conduct fuel treatments on adjacent non-Federal lands

Partner with local communities in the development of CWPPs

Coordinate fuel treatment programs with Department of the Interior agencies

Conduct treatments on NFS lands in cooperation with non-governmental organizations

Expanded partnerships and collaborative efforts increase treatment efficiencies and allow the agency to 

reduce costs, treat additional areas and reduce the risk to communities. For example, use of the Good 

Neighbor Authority in Colorado and Utah allows these states to conduct hazardous fuels treatments on 

national forest land when performing similar activities on adjacent state or private land. 

The Budget also funds institutes established in the Southwest Forest Health and Wildfire Prevention Act 

of 2004 (P.L. 108-317) to enhance our capacity to execute practical science-based forest restoration 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Wildland Fire Management 9-16

treatments that will reduce the risk of severe wildfires, and improve the health of dry forest and woodland 

ecosystems in the Interior West at $1.5 million.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Wildland Fire Management 9-17

Budget Line Item Rehabilitation and Restoration

(dollars in thousands)

FY 2011 

Enacted

FY 2012 

Enacted

FY 2013 

President's 

Budget

Program 

Changes

Percent of 

Program 

Changes

Rehabilitation and Restoration

Annual Appropriations $11,477 0 0 0 0%

Rehabilitation and Restoration Total 11,477 0 0 0 0%

Annual Appropriations FTEs 82 0 0 0 0%

Total Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs) 82 0 0 0 0%

FY 2013 Program Changes

The FY 2013 President’s Budget proposes to move the Rehabilitation and Restoration to the National 

Forest System appropriation. The Rehabilitation and Restoration activities will be funded as part of the 

Integration Resource Restoration program.

Past Performance

In FY 2011, Rehabilitation and Restoration projects treated over 119,000 acres. Accomplishments 

include: 

20,816 acres of forest vegetation establishment and improvement 

10,813 acres of soil and watershed resource improvement

19,138 acres of invasive species treatment 

68,354 acres of range vegetation restoration

In addition, 68 miles of property boundary markers and 1,123 miles of trail were restored. Other 

accomplishments include the development of native plant materials projects in every region, and 

restoration of numerous range structures.

Program Description

Program Overview

The Rehabilitation and Restoration program restores NFS forests and rangelands impacted by wildfire, 

addressing post-Burned Area Emergency Rehabilitation (BAER) needs on lands unlikely to recover 

naturally from wildland fire damage. Projects focus on restoring watershed function, including protection 

of soil, water resources, biological communities, and prevention of invasive species. Rehabilitation 

projects consist of planning, implementing, and monitoring for up to three years, and may include 

reforestation; watershed restoration; treatment of invasive species; terrestrial and aquatic habitat 

restoration; stabilization of roads, drainage systems, and trails; and rehabilitation of heritage resource 

sites, developed recreation facilities, range improvements, and other impacted facilities. These activities 

will continue as part of Integrated Resource Restoration.

Allocation and Integration

Rehabilitation funds were distributed to regions based on the percentage of severely burned lands in each 

region during the previous five years. Native plant materials funds are distributed based on a competitive 

selection of projects submitted by regions. Since priority fire restoration needs typically exceed available 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Wildland Fire Management 9-18

Rehabilitation and Restoration funds, additional needs were prioritized along with other program work to 

ensure that the highest priority needs are met using available National Forest System and Capital 

Improvement and Maintenance funding. 

Partnerships

A portion of Rehabilitation and Restoration program funding is matched with money from the non-profit 

organization American Forests for procurement of both shrub and tree seedlings, and to cover associated 

activities necessary for the establishment of forest vegetation used in post-fire reforestation projects.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Wildland Fire Management 9-19

Budget Line Item Research and Development

(dollars in thousands)

FY 2011 

Enacted

FY 2012 

Enacted

FY 2013 

President's 

Budget

Program 

Changes

Percent of 

Program 

Changes

Research and Development

Annual Appropriations $23,869 $21,699 $20,634 -$1,065 -5%

Research and Development Total 23,869 21,699 20,634 -1,065 -5%

Annual Appropriations FTEs 126 120 114 -6 -5%

Total Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs) 126 120 114 -6 -5%

FY 2009 

Actual

FY 2010 

Actual

FY 2011 

Target

FY 2011 

Actual

FY 2012 

Target

FY 2013 

Target

NFP Research & Development

Customer satisfaction index score for R&D 7 5 7 5 7 5 7 5 7 5 7 5

FY 2013 Program Changes

The FY 2013 President’s Budget includes $20,634,000 for the National Fire Plan Research and 

Development, a decrease of $1,065,000 from the FY 2012 Enacted. The proposed budget will continue to 

support fire research such as research designed to evaluate and increase the effectiveness of fuel 

treatments on reducing the negative impacts of wildland fire on human communities; and research on the 

ecological benefits forests supply including producing water, recreational opportunities, habitat for fish 

and wildlife, and forest products. Investment priorities will focus on partnerships that leverage Forest 

Service Funding.

Past Performance

Research in FY 2011 contributed to fundamental understanding of 

fire behavior, fire ecology, wildland fuels, smoke and other fire 

emissions. Fire research results are delivered to fire managers 

through an integrated decision support system (Wildland Fire 

Decision Support System) for use in real-time decision making on 

wildland fire incidents. 

In FY 2011, a few key Forest Service R&D products delivered 

include:

Development and delivery of real-time fire-weather 

predictive tools for fire management in the Eastern Area 

Modeling Consortium (EACC) and Eastern Area 

Coordination Center (EACC) web sites. Modeling and 

experimental research has led to an improved 

understanding of the role that atmospheric turbulence can 

play in affecting wildfires in different regions of the U.S., 

and the development of a new turbulence-based predictive 

tool for anticipating when weather conditions could lead 

to erratic fire behavior because of strong wind gusts.

Fireflux Experiments Improve Safety of 

Prescribed Burns in the New Jersey Pine 

Barrens

Predicting the effects of smoke from lowintensity prescribed fires on local air-quality 

is being made easier by new tools 

developed by Forest Service scientists. 

These tools are now being validated through 

data collected from fuels, meteorological, 

and air quality monitoring networks set up 

near and within prescribed fires in the New 

Jersey Pine Barrens. The tools and 

observational data from this project help 

fire and forest managers in planning for 

prescribed burns to minimize adverse airquality impacts in the vicinity of the burns.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Wildland Fire Management 9-20

Completion of a bench scale ignition and quenching apparatus. This new device allows us to 

quantify moisture loss and chemical changes at ignition to better understand the changes that live 

fuels undergo during preheating.

Completion of an updated processing technique for analysis of the properties of smoke-polluted 

atmospheres. The update included a new method for more accurately identifying smoke from fire 

in the atmosphere versus other pollutants. Results have led to a significant increase in 

measurement accuracy and the impacts of smoke.

Program Description

Program Overview

The R&D program conducts research to support management of fire-affected ecosystems to sustain forest 

health and to reduce the risk of damaging wildland fires in the context of changing social and physical 

environments. The R&D program is managed under a strategic plan that outlines five portfolio areas: 

Core Fire Science

Ecological and Environmental Fire Science 

Social Fire Science

Integrated Fire and Fuels Management Research 

Science Application

These investments help fire managers, policy makers, and citizens make scientifically sound wildfire and 

fuels management decisions; wisely invest fuel and fire expenditures to minimize the negative social, 

economic, and ecological impacts of fire; avoid environmental damage when dealing with fuel and fire 

risk problems; and develop effective community programs to speed the adoption of fire-safe construction 

and landscaping practices. 

New knowledge and technology improves on-the-ground operations by providing better risk assessments 

to support fire season planning and appropriate management response; evaluating the effects of fuel 

treatments restoration activities, and post-fire emergency treatments. 

R&D funds support resources needed to maintain a fire research program that is focused on the changing 

needs of users in the fire and land management communities. R&D programs are coordinated with other 

research efforts and the Joint Fire Science Program to provide complementary efforts that address current 

and future needs.

Allocation and Integration

A Wildland Fire Strategic Program Area (SPA) team and Portfolio teams made up of Washington Office 

staff and research station representatives evaluate and recommend allocations of R&D funds annually. In 

The role of the wildland fire SPA and Portfolio teams is to enhance integration and collaboration across 

stations. This research covers inquiries focused in four major areas: firefighting, rehabilitation and 

restoration, hazardous fuels reduction, and community assistance.

Partnerships

Partnerships with users and other research organizations are a fundamental component of Forest Service 

fire research. These partnerships include Federal agencies, such as the Department of the Interior, 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Wildland Fire Management 9-21

National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Department of Defense, Department of Energy, National 

Institute of Standards and Technology, Natural Resources Conservation Service, and the National 

Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; a number of national forests; 75 U.S. colleges and universities; 

non-governmental organizations such as The Nature Conservancy; State and local governments; industry 

partners; and international organizations.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Wildland Fire Management 9-22

Budget Line Item Joint Fire Science Program

(dollars in thousands)

FY 2011 

Enacted

FY 2012 

Enacted

FY 2013 

President's 

Budget

Program 

Changes

Percent of 

Program 

Changes

Joint Fire Science Program

Annual Appropriations $7,984 $7,250 $7,226 -$24 -0%

Joint Fire Science Program Total 7,984 7,250 7,226 -24 -0%

Annual Appropriations FTEs 17 18 18 0 0%

Total Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs) 17 18 18 0 0%

FY 2013 Program Changes

The FY 2013 President’s Budget includes $7,226,000 for the Joint Fire Science Program (JFSP), a 

decrease of $24,000 from the FY 2012 Enacted. This funding produces important technical and scientific 

information that is needed to support the large national effort concerning hazardous fuels, fire 

management, and fire-related restoration. Forest Service Research and Development will continue to 

work jointly with the Department of the Interior in managing the program and setting priorities.

Past Performance

At the beginning of FY 2011, the JFSP had 90 active projects, 56 of which were completed in FY 2011. 

In addition, 18 new projects were initiated based on proposals funded in FY 2011. The JFSP has 

demonstrated success producing research and application products responsive to the needs of science and 

management. It is leveraging this work through enhanced science delivery. The program will continue to 

identify and meet fire information and technological support needs for a national interagency fuels 

management program in order to treat hazardous fuels successfully, reduce the threat of severe wildland 

fires, and restore or maintain the appropriate role of fire in ecosystems.

This year, Forest Service researchers completed a project to evaluate four empirical smoke models 

(Daysmoke, Briggs, WRAP, and FEPS). The Daysmoke model generally predicted smoke plume heights 

accurately. However, the three other models typically overestimated smoke plume heights. The 

researchers then developed new smoke plume height models using smoke measurements and fuel and 

atmospheric variables. The new models show good agreement with the measurements and are a practical 

tool for smoke plume rise estimates. 

Recognizing the need to enhance learning from escaped prescribed fires, Forest Service scientists 

collected data through a series of regional, interagency dialogue sessions held in Portland, Denver, Salt 

Lake City, Tucson and Tallahassee. These sessions drew participants from the interagency fire 

community, and spanned the full spectrum of positions from ground operations to national policy makers. 

Results of the project, “Using Escaped Prescribed Fire Reviews to Improve Organizational Learning,” 

include a series of six short video podcasts identifying tips and techniques to improve learning drawn 

from the workshops, and a formal analysis and synthesis of workshop discussions, available at 

http://www.firescience.gov/JFSP_advanced_search_results_detail.cfm?jdbid=%24%26Z%3B%3BT0%20

%20%0A. 

The JFSP has initiated new projects that address several important needs, including: evaluate 

effectiveness and effects of pile burning; apply fuel treatments in the Wildland Urban Interface; evaluate 

fire smoke and ozone standards analysis; evaluate the effectiveness of mitigation activities in the 

Wildland Urban Interface; apply shrub and grass fuelbed production, growth, and succession; and 

evaluate black carbon effects on atmospheric warming.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Wildland Fire Management 9-23

Program Description

Program Overview

JFSP is an interagency fire research and development partnership between the Departments of the Interior 

and Agriculture. JFSP contributes to sound decision-making and project implementation through credible 

research tailored to the needs of fire and fuel managers. Research projects compliment and build on other 

Federal research programs, such as those carried out by the Forest Service, the U.S. Geological Survey, 

and other research partners. Synthesis of research findings and targeted delivery to managers are essential 

components of the program. Land managers regularly use results from JFSP projects to plan and 

implement fuels treatments, support fire management decisions, restore lands affected by fire, and meet 

regulatory requirements. More information can be found at http://www.firescience.gov.

Allocation and Integration

Funding priorities and policies are set by the JFSP governing board with representatives from the 

Department of the Interior and the Forest Service. Proposals are accepted for topics determined annually 

by the governing board. Allocations are determined by the board following a competitive peer review of 

submitted proposals. The reviews are conducted by land managers, technical specialists, and scientists, 

resulting in approximately 20 percent of research proposals receiving funding. 

Partnerships

JFSP is a partnership-based program. The governing board has representatives from the Forest Service 

and five Department of the Interior bureaus. The program office is staffed with personnel from both 

Department of the Interior and the Forest Service. JFSP collaborates with other governmental and nongovernmental entities, as well as more than 90 colleges and universities. In all, JFSP has engaged nearly 

200 organizations in its research.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Wildland Fire Management 9-24

Budget Line Item Forest Health Management - Federal Lands

(dollars in thousands)

FY 2011 

Enacted

FY 2012 

Enacted

FY 2013 

President's 

Budget

Program 

Changes

Percent of 

Program 

Changes

Forest Health Management - Federal Lands

Annual Appropriations $20,710 $15,958 0 -$15,958 -100%

Forest Health Management - Federal Lands Total 20,710 15,958 0 -15,958 -100%

Annual Appropriations FTEs 119 92 0 -92 -100%

Total Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs) 119 92 0 -92 -100%

FY 2009 

Actual

FY 2010 

Actual

FY 2011 

Target

FY 2011 

Actual

FY 2012 

Target

FY 2013 

Target

NFP Forest Health Management - Federal Lands

Federal acres treated under NFP - Invasives 9,932 5,700 6,015 5,714 3,035 0

Federal acres treated under NFP - Native pests 39,781 39,309 19,307 28,688 20,482 0

FY 2013 Program Changes

The FY 2013 President’s Budget proposes consolidating the Forest Health Management Federal Lands 

program into one budget line item in the State and Private Forestry appropriation. Information about this 

program is within the State and Private Forestry Chapter, Forest Health Management Federal Lands 

Section.

Past Performance

For more information on Performance Metrics, as illustrated in the table above, see the State and Private 

Forestry Chapter. 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Wildland Fire Management 9-25

Budget Line Item Forest Health Management –

Cooperative Lands

(dollars in thousands)

FY 2011 

Enacted

FY 2012 

Enacted

FY 2013 

President's 

Budget

Program 

Changes

Percent of 

Program 

Changes

Forest Health Management - Cooperative Lands

Annual Appropriations $11,405 $8,353 0 -$8,353 -100%

Forest Health Management - Cooperative Lands Total 11,405 8,353 0 -8,353 -100%

Annual Appropriations FTEs 20 22 0 -22 -100%

Total Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs) 20 22 0 -22 -100%

FY 2009 

Actual

FY 2010 

Actual

FY 2011 

Target

FY 2011 

Actual

FY 2012 

Target

FY 2013 

Target

NFP Forest Health Management - Cooperative Lands

Acres treated on cooperative lands under NFP - 

Invasives 117,705 123,892 70,877 131,681 35,392 0

Acres treated on cooperative lands under NFP - 

Native pests 4,684 5,431 3,061 7,607 3,447 0

FY 2013 Program Changes

The FY 2013 President’s Budget proposes consolidating the Forest Health Management Cooperative 

Lands program into one budget line item in the State and Private Forestry appropriation. Information 

about this program is within the State and Private Forestry Chapter, Forest Health Management 

Cooperative Lands Section.

Past Performance

For more information on Performance Metrics, as illustrated in the table above, see the State and Private 

Forestry Chapter.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Wildland Fire Management 9-26

Budget Line Item State Fire Assistance

(dollars in thousands)

FY 2011 

Enacted

FY 2012 

Enacted

FY 2013 

President's 

Budget

Program 

Changes

Percent of 

Program 

Changes

State Fire Assistance

Annual Appropriations $64,870 $55,475 $72,688 $17,213 31%

State Fire Assistance Total 64,870 55,475 72,688 17,213 31%

Annual Appropriations FTEs 3 2 49 47 2,350%

Total Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs) 3 2 49 47 2,350%

FY 2009 

Actual

FY 2010 

Actual

FY 2011 

Target

FY 2011 

Actual

FY 2012 

Target

FY 2013 

Target

NFP State Fire Assistance

Communities at risk from wildfire assisted - NFP 

(number) 13,154 9,229 8,200 10,881 7,500 11,780

FY 2013 Program Changes

The FY 2013 President’s Budget proposes $72,688,000 for the State Fire Assistance (SFA) program, a 

net program decrease of $13,275,000 from the FY 2012 Enacted. The President’s Budget proposes 

consolidating the SFA program into one budget line item under the Wildland Fire Management 

appropriation to improve program management, reduce administrative complexity, and assist with 

improved performance management. The net amount was calculated using the combined totals from FY 

2012 as illustrated in the table below. 

State Fire Assistance Consolidated Budget Line Items (dollars in thousands)

Approp. Budget Line Item

FY 2011 

Enact

FY 2012 

Enact Change

FY 2013 

Pres Bud

WFM State Fire Assistance $64,870 $55,475 $17,213 $72,688

S&PF State Fire Assistance 32,358 30,488 (30,488) 0

Total $97,228 $85,963 ($13,275) $72,688

Funds will support 7,500 communities. Funds will continue to be focused on assisting communities with 

hazardous fuel treatments, capacity building, fire prevention education, and preparedness activities to help 

ensure States and local governments continue to reduce fire risk in their communities, and to support 

firefighting capacity within each State. 

Projects are planned, completed, and entered into the performance database by each State and are not 

under the direct control of the Forest Service. However, to help ensure focus on the highest priority 

projects, the agency will continue to issue program direction encouraging the States to focus the funds on 

areas covered by Community Wildfire Protection Plans or other collaboratively developed hazard 

mitigation plans. 

Past Performance

In FY 2011, using funding provided by the WFM appropriation, SFA funding assisted 10,881 

communities through a variety of different activities. State Fire Assistance also assisted 3,843 

communities through the S&PF appropriation funding through activities related to wildfire protection.

While the communities assisted was slightly below target in the S&PF appropriation, when combined 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Wildland Fire Management 9-27

these programs assisted more than 14,000 communities – exceeding the combined target of 12,400. This 

equals 14,724 communities assisted, as illustrated in the following table.

State Fire Assistance Performance FY 2011 through FY 2013

Approp. Performance Measure

FY 2011 

Actual

FY 2012 

Target

FY 2013 

Target

WFM Communities at risk from wildfire 

assisted - NFP 

10,881 7,500 11,780

S&PF Communities assisted 3,843 4,900 0

Total 14,724 12,400 11,780

Accomplishments from the WFM funding focused on mitigating the risk of wildland fire for communities 

at risk. Assistance was provided to 1,974 communities in the form of risk assessments and fire 

management planning projects. SFA provided $22,123,780 for hazardous fuels treatments, benefiting 

3,184 communities in the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI). This funding led directly to the treatment of 

201,504 acres of hazardous fuels, and leveraged the treatment of another 293,293 acres. Over 4,800 

prevention and education programs were conducted, directly benefiting 4,828 communities. Funding of 

$11,359,978 was directed to preparedness activities and funding of $5,848,836 supported suppression 

operations. In addition, SFA funded the training of 46,000 firefighters and invested $5,143,146 in the 

purchase, maintenance, and rehabilitation of needed firefighting equipment for State agencies.

Assistance from the S&PF funding focused on fire danger mitigation and protecting communities at risk. 

Funding enabled 2,410 prevention and education programs, directly benefiting 2,279 communities. 

Funding also provided $2,918,536 to address critical preparedness needs for firefighter safety, increased 

initial attack capability, and training. Assistance was provided to over 986 communities in the form of 

risk assessments and fire management planning projects 

(elements of fire-adapted communities). About $3 million 

supported the Fire-Adapted Communities program (a strategy 

to reduce risks in Wildland Urban Interface areas). SFA 

funding was also used to:

Develop Ready, Set, Go! programs in fire departments 

in 41 States in just one year; supporting a total of 752 

recognized Firewise Communities, which includes an 

additional 178 recognized communities that were 

added in FY 2011 (and countless other individual 

homeowners and communities who use Firewise 

principles but do not seek recognition)

Initiate targeted fire-adapted communities training 

effort to help volunteer fire departments in the 

Wildland Urban Interface areas 

Expand partnerships with national organizations that 

leverage Federal and State funding for fire adapted 

communities

Train 22,966 firefighters and investing over $2.6 

million in the purchase, maintenance, and 

rehabilitation of needed firefighting equipment

Fire Wise Communities

On May 25, 2011, Denny and Francine 

Alvarez were ordered to evacuate their home 

in Waycross, Georgia due to the Racepond fire 

that was blazing outside their door. 

Fortunately, their house escaped fire damage. 

Firefighters believe that the couple played an 

important part in the success of saving their 

own home. In fact, Denny and Francine had 

attended a Firewise workshop three months 

prior to the fire. Francine credits Denny’s 

work at keeping their timberline clean and 

other Firewise tips as making a real difference 

in saving their home. For more information, 

visit www.firewise.org.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Wildland Fire Management 9-28

Actual accomplishment figures tend to fluctuate from year to year depending on the type and costs of the 

individual projects that the States choose to implement. For example, if some States’ priority projects 

were relatively expensive then they generally accomplished fewer projects and therefore assisted fewer 

overall communities. However, if the States spread the funds across a larger number of communities to 

accomplish priority projects that were less expensive, then the total number of communities assisted was

greater.

The Forest Service strongly encouraged States to focus their efforts on high priority projects, to create 

fire-adapted communities, and to document performance. Projects are planned, completed and entered 

into the performance database by each State and are not under the direct control of the Forest Service. To 

help ensure focus on the highest priority projects, the agency issues program direction encouraging the 

States to focus the funds on areas covered by Community Wildfire Protection Plans or other 

collaboratively developed hazard mitigation plans. 

Program Description 

Program Overview

The SFA program provides financial assistance through partnership agreements with State Foresters for 

fire management activities, focused on mitigation by helping communities become fire-adapted, by 

completing, hazardous fuel treatments around communities, planning and preparing for wildland fire, and 

obtaining equipment to respond to and mitigate fire. The creation of fire-adapted communities is critical 

to reducing the risk and cost of large wildfires. Funding helps Federal, State, and local agencies 

implement a pre-fire strategy and deliver a cohesive suppression response to wildfire. This program 

emphasizes pre-fire planning in the WUI and hazardous fuel mitigation near communities at risk of 

catastrophic wildfire in order to create more fire-adapted communities. SFA fire training programs (part 

of the fire-adapted communities’ effort) build capacity to provide effective initial attack response 

(response to wildfire). Creating fire-adapted communities is an element of the National Cohesive 

Wildland Fire Management Strategy.

These funds also promote the Forest Service’s Fire-Adapted Communities effort through: 

The Firewise program, a national education program which provides information on defensible 

space and community wildfire risk reduction

Ready, Set, Go! - a national effort delivered through fire departments which teaches Firewise, 

situational awareness during wildfire, and safe evacuation preparedness and implementation

Development of Community Wildfire Preparedness Plans

Capacity building for volunteer fire departments through targeted training programs

The Smokey Bear fire prevention program

The Forest Service tracks the number of Communities at Risk. State Foresters report to the Forest Service 

the number of communities in which their efforts have reduced risk (Communities Assisted) which was 

determined to be the best accomplishment measure for SFA given the variety of programs needs and uses.

Allocation and Integration

SFA funding is distributed to the State Foresters to address critical fire adaptation, preparedness, and 

hazard mitigation needs and to maintain and enhance coordination and communication with Federal 

agencies, as well as supply needed performance data. Funding allocations take into consideration acres of 

non-Federal land, population, level of fire protection, vegetative condition class, and communities at risk 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Wildland Fire Management 9-29

– as identified in each States’ Forest Action Plan. State Foresters use their Forest Action Plans to make 

determinations about how best to target funding to target the highest priority needs in their State. A 

percentage of these funds is also used on a competitive basis for hazard mitigation projects. 

Partnerships

State Fire Assistance delivers its program through partnerships with States, local agencies, local 

communities, and other organizations such as Fire Safe Councils. These groups can then participate 

actively in protecting their communities from wildland fire and providing wildland fire response. 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Wildland Fire Management 9-30

Budget Line Item Volunteer Fire Assistance

(dollars in thousands)

FY 2011 

Enacted

FY 2012 

Enacted

FY 2013 

President's 

Budget

Program 

Changes

Percent of 

Program 

Changes

Volunteer Fire Assistance

Annual Appropriations $8,982 $6,356 $11,733 $5,377 85%

Volunteer Fire Assistance Total 8,982 6,356 11,733 5,377 85%

Annual Appropriations FTEs 0 0 0 0 0%

Total Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs) 0 0 0 0 0%

FY 2009 

Actual

FY 2010 

Actual

FY 2011 

Target

FY 2011 

Actual

FY 2012 

Target

FY 2013 

Target

NFP Volunteer Fire Assistance

Volunteer fire departments assisted - NFP 

(number) 6,382 7,941 3,000 5,605 4,500 7,980

FY 2013 Program Changes

The FY 2013 President’s Budget proposes $11,733,000 for the Volunteer Fire Assistance (VFA) 

program, a net program decrease of $1,292,000 from the FY 2012 Enacted. The President’s Budget 

proposes consolidating the VFA program into one budget line item under the Wildland Fire Management 

(WFM) appropriation to increase effectiveness in management and reduce administrative complexity. The 

net amount was calculated using the combined totals from FY 2012 as illustrated in the table below. 

Volunteer Fire Assistance Consolidated Budget Line Items (dollars in thousands)

Approp. Budget Line Item

FY 2011 

Enact

FY 2012 

Enact Change

FY 2013 

Pres Bud

WFM Volunteer Fire Assistance $8,982 $6,356 $5,377 $11,733

S&PF Volunteer Fire Assistance 6,680 6,669 (6,669) 0

Total $15,662 $13,025 ($1,292) $11,733

Funds will provide matching financial assistance to 4,500 rural communities of less than 10,000 people to 

build and maintain fire suppression capacity. 

Past Performance 

In FY 2011, through funding provided by the Wildland Fire 

Management appropriation, the Forest Service provided 

VFA funding to volunteer fire departments in 5,605 

communities, exceeding the target of 4,500 volunteer fire 

departments assisted. In addition, through funding provided 

by the State and Private Forestry appropriation, the Forest 

Service provided VFA funding to 4,177 volunteer fire 

departments in FY 2011, exceeding the target of 3,900. This 

equals 9,782 fire departments assisted, as illustrated in the 

following table. The combined total of both programs 

exceeded the total target by over 1,300. 

Volunteer Fire Departments

In 2011, the VFA program provided funding to 

help train firefighters that are often the first line of 

defense in meeting expanded protection needs for 

Wildland Urban Interface fires. Of the more than 

35,000 local fire agencies nationwide, 75 percent

are volunteer run. They provide nearly 80 percent

of initial attack on wildland fires in the U.S., 

making them a crucial partner in effective national 

wildland fire management. 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Wildland Fire Management 9-31

Volunteer Fire Assistance Performance FY 2011 through FY 2013

Approp. Performance Measure

FY 2011 

Actual

FY 2012 

Target

FY 2013 

Target

WFM Volunteer fire departments assisted - NFP 5,605 4,500 7,980

S&PF Volunteer fire departments assisted 4,177 3,900 0

Total 9,782 8,400 7,980

Funding helped with the training of 37,217 firefighters (21,325 through WFM and 15,892 through 

S&PF); the organization or expansion of 349 fire departments (200 through WFM and 149 through 

S&PF); and the purchase, rehabilitation, and maintenance of $10,867,509 of equipment ($6,227,083 

through WFM and $4,640,426 through S&PF). 

The Volunteer Fire Assistance program is managed by the States through a process which seeks to 

provide funding to the areas of highest risk and greatest need. Therefore, the Forest Service can only 

estimate projected accomplishments based on previous year’s performance. The actual numbers of 

volunteer fire departments assisted tend to fluctuate from year to year depending on the types and cost of 

individual projects the States choose to implement. For example, if some State’s priority projects were 

relatively expensive then they accomplished fewer projects and therefore assisted fewer overall 

communities. However, if the State spread the funds across a larger number of communities to 

accomplish priority projects that were less expensive, then the total number of communities assisted is 

greater. 

The Forest Service strongly encouraged the States to focus their efforts on creation of fire-adapted 

communities, landscape restoration, and wildfire response (National Cohesive Wildland Fire Management 

Strategy) high priority projects and to document performance.

Program Description 

Program Overview

Through the VFA program, the Forest Service provides technical and financial assistance to local 

communities – through the States – to protect State and private forestlands threatened by wildfire. VFA is 

delivered by the State Foresters and supports local fire suppression efforts by providing grants for 

equipment, training programs, and technical assistance in organizing or expanding fire departments. The 

program targets volunteer fire departments that protect communities of less than 10,000 inhabitants from 

wildland fire. Local fire agencies are the first line of defense for initial attack on wildland fires, and 

therefore play a key role in educating their jurisdictions about fire adaption and the need for mitigation, 

along with meeting expanded fire protection needs within the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI). Grants 

are matched dollar-for-dollar by the recipients to leverage the value of Federal investment. Program 

funding helps Federal, State, and local agencies deliver a uniform and coordinated suppression response 

to wildfire by training, equipping, and organizing volunteer fire departments. Through this program, the 

Forest Service provides support that better enables local communities in rural areas to prepare for, 

mitigate, and respond to natural and human-caused fires prior to them spreading to lands managed by 

other jurisdictions. VFA fire prevention education programs, through building capacity to provide 

effective initial attack response and hazardous fuel reduction projects, are also an integral part of the 

overall Wildland Fire Management program response to the effects of a changing climate.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Wildland Fire Management 9-32

Allocation and Integration

Allocation of funds takes into account risk from catastrophic fires to communities in the WUI, the number 

of acres to be protected, and the number of volunteer fire departments serving qualifying communities. 

State Foresters utilize their Forest Action Plans to determine which volunteer fire departments within their 

State should receive priority for VFA funding.

Partnerships

The VFA program directly supports local fire suppression initial attack efforts by providing technical 

assistance grants for training and fire department development. The program supports volunteer fire 

programs throughout the country in rural areas with populations of less than 10,000 people. 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

FLAME Wildfire Suppression Reserve Fund 10-1

Appropriation FLAME Wildfire Suppression

Reserve Fund

(dollars in thousands)

FY 2011 

Enacted

FY 2012 

Enacted

FY 2013 

President's 

Budget

Program 

Changes

Percent of 

Program 

Changes

FLAME Wildfire Suppression Reserve Fund

Annual Appropriations $290,418 $315,381 $315,000 -$381 -0%

FLAME Wildfire Suppression Reserve Fund Total 290,418 315,381 315,000 -381 -0%

Annual Appropriation FTEs 0 0 0 0 0%

Total Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs) 0 0 0 0 0%

FLAME Wildfire Suppression Reserve Fund

FLAME Wildfire Suppression Reserve Fund 290,418 315,381 315,000 -381 -0%

FY 2013 Program Changes

The FY 2013 President’s Budget proposes $315,000,000 for the FLAME Wildfire Suppression Reserve 

Fund, a $381,000 decrease from the FY 2012 Enacted. The amounts proposed in the Suppression and 

FLAME Reserve accounts are rebalanced based on the funds used for high complexity fires during the FY 

2011 fire season.

Amounts provided through the FLAME Reserve Fund, together with amounts provided through the 

Wildland Fire Management appropriations account, meet the 10-year average costs, adjusted for inflation. 

The funding for fire suppression through these two accounts is meant to prevent future borrowing from 

non-fire programs. 

Past Performance

The 2011 fire season was relatively severe and is comparable to those in FY 2008 and FY 2007 in terms 

of duration and intensity. A number of large and complex fires occurred - including historic fires in New 

Mexico and Arizona, as well as an unusually long fire season in much of the Southeast. The Secretary of 

Agriculture signed three declarations; in all, 57 fires met the criteria required to be eligible for FLAME 

account funds in FY 2011.

These “FLAME” fires were complex enough to warrant the assignment of a Type I or Type II Incident 

Management Team – those with the most training and experience in tactical decision making, resource 

assignment and staffing for large, complex wildland fires. These fires were declared eligible for a transfer 

of funds from the FLAME account to the Suppression account by the Secretary of Agriculture.

See the list of FLAME fires on the following page.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

FLAME Wildfire Suppression Reserve Fund 10-2

Fires Declared Eligible for FLAME Funding in FY2011

Name of Incident State

White (DOI) NM

Mayhill (DOI) NM

Bull AZ

Arlene AZ

Wallow AZ

Horseshoe 2 AZ

North Tank AZ

Miller NM

Murphy/Pajarita AZ

Osha NM

Valley Complex* VA

Crystal (DOI) KS

Jarhead (DOI) FL

Pains Bay (DOI) NC

Honey Prairie (DOI) GA

Monument (DOI) AZ

Las Conchas NM

Lateral West VA

Wrangler LA

Iindiahoma Wye (DOI) OK

Duckett CO

Oil Pad Complex (DOI) FL

Impassable Bay FL

Pacheco NM

Willow AZ

Wash AZ

Indian ID

Norton Point WY

New Water (DOI) AZ

Baton Rouge Complex 

(DOI)

NM

Ray May (DOI) NV

Name of Incident State

Annie (DOI) CA

Water Hole (DOI) MT

Saddle Complex -Bitterroot 

Branch

MT

Diamond Complex (DOI) MT

Rourke (DOI) WY

Donaldson NM

Granite Pass MT

Forty One MT

Coal Canyon SD

Hancock Complex OR

High Cascade Complex OR

Motor CA

Figueroa CA

Cactus Mountain OR

Black Canyon ID

Big Hump WA

Pagami Creek MN

Copper Mountain MT

Stewart MT

Mother Lode OR

Lone Mountain OR

Birthday ID

Salt ID

Dollar Lake OR

Hole in the Wall WY

Ferguson OK

The Forest Service will issue an annual report 

that describes the obligation and expenditure of 

amounts transferred from the FLAME Fund in 

FY2011, as required by the FLAME Act. 
Program Description

Program Overview

The FLAME Reserve Fund is a separate Treasury account and distinct appropriation providing 

funds to cover fires escaping initial attack (response) that are sufficiently large and complex or 

when the Suppression account is expected to be completely obligated. It is intended to address the 

impacts of increasing wildfire suppression costs and their effects on other agency programs. 

These funds are available to the Secretary of Agriculture to be transferred into the Suppression 

account.

Each fire incident is immediately evaluated for complexity and risk to high valued resources and 

an incident risk analysis is completed. If a fire is deemed to be sufficiently complex to require a 

Type 1 or Type 2 Incident team, the fire may be declared eligible for FLAME funding by the 

Secretary of Agriculture. Once the Secretary makes the declaration, funds are transferred from the 

FLAME Reserve Fund to the Suppression account.

The President’s Budget also continues to fund wildland fire management reforms such as the use 

of strategic and operational protocols and improved oversight, and the use of a risk management 

framework that ensures that fire management resources are appropriately focused. Through the 

combination of the FLAME Act account and these program improvements, the President’s 

Budget seeks to avoid transfer funds from other Forest Service accounts to Suppression.

The FLAME Act of 2009 was authorized in P.L. 111-88, as part of the Department of the Interior, 

Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2010. In recent years, fires have become 

larger and more difficult to control due to a variety of factors, including: 

Effects of a changing climate 

Persistent drought

Accumulation of hazardous fuels

More homes near wildlands, expanding the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) 

As fire seasons have been extended, use of resources (aviation, equipment, and personnel) has 

increased. Annual fire suppression expenditures have routinely exceeded the 10-year average. 

Allocation and Integration

This fund is not allocated to the field units. The FLAME Reserve Fund functions as a transfer 

account to accommodate those large fires which historically have resulted in the greatest 

expenditure of Suppression funds. 

The protocols and criteria for use of these funds are based on complexity of wildfire incidents. 

Funds can also be made available when the regular Suppression account is almost completely 

obligated. Both of these instances require a declaration to the Secretary who would then request 

transfer of funds from the FLAME Act account into the Suppression account. 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

FLAME Wildfire Suppression Reserve Fund 10-4

The agency is continuing a multi-year process to develop improvements in risk management that 

will become components of the protocols and criteria for FLAME declaration, including: 

Development of performance metrics associated with resource applications and their 

effectiveness on large fires

Determining appropriate fiscal boundaries for suppression expenditures with active 

oversight and monitoring protocols

Designing a resource allocation system/model for risk-informed resource allocation 

(dispatch) to make optimal resource allocation decisions during periods of likely and 

actual high fire activity

Partnerships

The Forest Service works in conjunction with the Department of the Interior (DOI) Office of 

Wildland Fire Coordination to develop joint protocols for identifying and declaring FLAMEeligible fires to ensure that both DOI and the Forest Service submit the same fires for FLAME 

declaration by their respective Secretaries. 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Payments to Communities 11-1

Appropriation Payments to Communities

(dollars in thousands)

FY 2011 

Enacted

FY 2012 

Enacted

FY 2013 

President's 

Budget

Program 

Changes

Percent of 

Program 

Changes

Payments to Communities

Annual Appropriations 0 $328,000 $294,000 $-28,000 -9%

Payments to Communities Total 0 328,000 294,000 -28,000 -9%

Annual Appropriation FTEs 0 0 0 0 0%

Total Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs) 0 0 0 0 0%

Payments to Communities

Payments to Communities 0 328,000 294,000 -28,000 -9%

FY 2013 Program Changes 

The FY 2013 President’s Budget assumes a five-year reauthorization of the Secure Rural Schools (SRS) 

Act starting in FY 2012. The FY 2013 budget proposes funding through mandatory appropriations 

supplemented by funds from Treasury. The FY 2013 payment is proposed for $294 million. 

Payments to Communities Proposal - Funding Source (dollars in thousands)

Funding 

Source

FY 2012* FY 2013 FY 2014 FY 2015 FY 2016

Mandatory $328,000 $294,000 $195,000 $145,000 $113,000

*Secure Rural School payments in FY 2012 (from FY 2011 receipts) is approximately $322 million 

This proposal titled “Payments to Communities” revises the allocation split between the three portions of 

the program from the previous authority emphasizing enhancement of forest ecosystems, restoration and 

improvement of land health and water quality and the increase of economic activity. 

Title I: The School and Roads portion is reduced over the next five year reauthorization. It would be 

reduced by 20 percent of the previous authority for the first year (2012). The School and Roads portion is 

then reduced another 10 percent in the second year (2013), and 25 percent each year thereafter. Starting in 

year three, (2014), any state that would receive less than $10 million in the Payments to Communities 

payment would no longer be eligible for this program. Those states would revert to the 25 percent fund 

payments. 

Title II: The Economic Investment & Forest Restoration/Protection portion is doubled from the previous 

funding level. This funding is for projects that enhance forest ecosystems, restore and improve land 

health and water quality, and increase economic activity. This portion would be held constant through the 

five year reauthorization.

Title III: The Fire Assistance portion is reduced by 50 percent from the previous funding level in year 

one (2012). This portion is eliminated starting in the second year (2013). Other existing Forest Service 

programs already fund some of these activities.

Past Performance

Six-hundred seventy counties from 41 States and Puerto Rico will receive SRS payments of 

approximately $322 million for FY 2011 by early 2012. During the past four years, 85 percent of the 

payments have been to Title I, 10 percent to Title II, and five percent to Title III. 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Payments to Communities 11-2

Program Description

Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000 (16 U.S.C. 500 note). This Act, 

originally authorized through FY 2006 as P.L. 106-393, provides choices to counties to either receive a 

guaranteed level of annual payments for roads and schools and other authorized purposes, as well as 

funding for specific resource improvement projects on the national forest where the county is located, or 

to receive payments under the Act of May 23, 1908. The Act was reauthorized through FY 2011 on 

October 3, 2008 in P.L. 110-343, Division C, Title VI. Currently, funds not obligated by September 30, 

2012 will be returned to the Treasury. These funds pay States on behalf of both the Forest Service and the 

Bureau of Land Management. 

The proposal modifies the previous 2008 to 2011 appropriations through a reauthorization of mandatory 

funding of $294 million payments to states in FY 2013. Beginning in 2014, states that receive less than 

$10 million in schools and roads payments would no longer be eligible for the Payments to Communities 

payments.

The Forest Service will work with the USDA Economic Research Service (ERS) to conduct a study of the 

areas impacted by this program. The ERS study will analyze the communities impacted by timber 

payments, other programs that provide or could provide funding to these same areas, shifts in state 

funding for these areas since the 1980’s, other federal receipts that could be shared with these 

communities, and what economic opportunities are available to these communities. 

Refer to the Payment Funds section under Permanent Appropriations chapter for more detail on other 

payments. 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Permanent Appropriations 12-1

Permanent Appropriations

 (dollars in thousands)

FY 2011 

Enacted

FY 2012 

Enacted

FY 2013 

President's 

Budget

Program 

Changes

Permanent Funds

Brush Disposal

New Budget Authority $8,417 $8,000 $8,000 0

Program Level 7,474 11,000 12,000 $1,000

Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs) 61 105 106 1

Licensee Program

New Budget Authority 139 153 153 0

Program Level 124 65 65 0

Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs) 0 0 0 0

Restoration of Forest Lands & Improvements

New Budget Authority 18,502 123,000 35,000 -88,000

Program Level 22,718 34,012 25,000 -9,012

Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs) 135 125 126 1

Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Fund

New Budget Authority 64,939 61,500 61,500 0

Program Level 77,543 74,300 65,000 -9,300

Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs) 632 501 536 35

Federal Land & Facility Enhancement Fund

New Budget Authority 8,662 24,000 9,000 -15,000

Program Level 8,823 37,270 8,000 -29,270

Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs) 15 25 16 -9

Timber Purchaser Election Road Construction

New Budget Authority 4,000 4,000 2,000 -2,000

Program Level 272 1,000 2,000 1,000

Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs) 1 4 4 0

Timber Salvage Sales

New Budget Authority 26,251 20,000 20,000 0

Program Level 23,050 21,000 28,000 7,000

Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs) 220 286 287 1

Stewardship Contracting

New Budget Authority 7,806 8,400 8,400 0

Program Level 9,528 10,400 9,000 -1,400

Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs) 2 0 0 0

Timber Sales Pipeline Restoration Fund

New Budget Authority 6,390 6,200 6,200 0

Program Level 3,830 5,600 10,600 5,000

Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs) 34 63 58 -5

Forest Botanical Products

New Budget Authority 1,589 1,500 1,500 0

Program Level 1,796 1,800 1,800 0

Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs) 21 26 27 1

Roads & Trails (10 percent) Fund

New Budget Authority 4,496 0 0 0

Program Level 1,163 0 0 0

Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs) 0 0 0 0

Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie Rental Fee Fund

New Budget Authority 1,572 500 500 0

Program Level 669 800 800 0

Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs) 0 1 1 0

Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie Restoration Fund

New Budget Authority 0 0 0 0

Program Level 0 0 0 0

Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs) 0 0 0 0
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Permanent Appropriations 12-2

FY 2011 

Enacted

FY 2012 

Enacted

FY 2013 

President's 

Budget

Program 

Changes

Operation & Maintenance of Quarters

New Budget Authority 7,860 8,200 8,400 200

Program Level 7,907 10,000 10,000 0

Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs) 30 27 28 1

Land Between the Lakes Management Fund

New Budget Authority 3,824 4,000 4,000 0

Program Level 3,803 5,000 5,000 0

Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs) 17 20 21 1

Valles Caldera Fund

New Budget Authority 732 900 900 0

Program Level 1,362 800 800 0

Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs) 0 2 2 0

Administration of Rights-of-Way & Other Land Uses*

New Budget Authority 7,956 8,000 8,000 0

Program Level 6,013 8,641 7,000 -1,641

Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs) 52 45 45 0

Payment to States Funds

New Budget Authority 134,907 85,150 85,150 0

Program Level 451,249 359,907 324,850 -35,057

Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs) 176 90 100 10

Permanent Funds New Budget Authority 308,042 363,503 258,703 -104,800

Permanent Funds Program Level 627,324 581,595 509,915 -71,680

Permanent Funds Full Time Equivalents (FTEs) 1,396 1,320 1,357 37

New Budget Authority: Amounts equal actual or anticipated receipts for the fiscal year.

Program Level: Actual balance of obligations in FY 2010 and planned obligations for FY 2011 and FY 2012.

*FY 2013 levels represent the legislative proposal to extend this authority.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Permanent Appropriations 12-3

Budget Line Item Brush Disposal

(dollars in thousands)

FY 2011 

Enacted

FY 2012 

Enacted

FY 2013 

President's 

Budget

Program 

Changes

Permanent Funds

Brush Disposal

New Budget Authority $8,417 $8,000 $8,000 0

Program Level 7,474 11,000 12,000 $1,000

Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs) 61 105 106 1

New Budget Authority: Amounts equal actual or anticipated receipts for the fiscal year.

Program Level: Actual balance of obligations in FY 2010 and planned obligations for FY 2011 and FY 2012

FY 2009 

Actual

FY 2010 

Actual

FY 2011 

Target

FY 2011 

Actual

FY 2012 

Target

FY 2013 

Target

Brush Disposal

Acres of harvest related woody fuels treated 74,669 54,522 60,000 64,488 70,000 75,000

FY 2013 Program Changes

The FY 2013 President’s Budget includes a program level of $12,000,000. Funding will be used to treat 

an estimated 75,000 acres of woody debris resulting from timber harvesting on the national forests.

Past Performance

In FY 2011, 64,488 acres were treated, an accomplishment totaling 107 percent of the planned level. 

Disposal of unmerchantable material upon completion of timber harvest reduces hazards fuel loading and 

is necessary for maintaining and improving forest health.

Authority

The Brush Disposal Act of August 11, 1916, as amended (16 U.S.C. 490). This Act authorizes the 

Secretary of Agriculture to require purchasers of national forest timber to deposit the estimated cost to 

dispose of brush and other debris resulting from their cutting operations.

Program Overview

This program provides for the disposal of unmerchantable brush and other debris resulting from timber 

harvest operations. Timber harvest activities create logging slash which, left untreated, can increase the 

risk of fire, impair reforestation, and contribute to the buildup of insect populations. Depending upon the 

amount of logging debris generated, as well as the relative fire hazard created, logging slash can be 

mechanically treated by scattering, chipping, or crushing down by logging equipment and allowed to 

decay. Slash can also be subjected to broadcast burning or collected into piles and burned during nonhazardous weather conditions.

Timber sale operators can perform the required work, or they can request that the agency complete this 

work by depositing funds to cover these costs. Brush disposal funding comes from deposits required of 

timber purchasers, and is used only on timber sale areas. 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Permanent Appropriations 12-4

Allocation and Integration

The allocation of brush disposal funds responds to each region’s assessment of budget authority required 

to accomplish necessary treatments. These treatments are integrated with hazardous fuel reduction 

treatments outside timber sale areas to achieve optimal progress toward agency forest health and fire 

hazard reduction goals.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Permanent Appropriations 12-5

Budget Line Item

Licensee Program (Smokey Bear and 

Woodsy Owl)

(dollars in thousands)

FY 2011 

Enacted

FY 2012 

Enacted

FY 2013 

President's 

Budget

Program 

Changes

Permanent Funds

Licensee Program (Smokey Bear and Woodsy Owl)

New Budget Authority $139 $153 $153 0

Program Level 124 65 65 0

Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs) 0 0 0 0

New Budget Authority: Amounts equal actual or anticipated receipts for the fiscal year.

Program Level: Actual balance of obligations in FY 2010 and planned obligations for FY 2011 and FY 2012.

FY 2013 Program Changes

The FY 2013 President’s Budget includes a program level of $65,000 for the licensee programs which is 

the same amount as FY 2012. Funds support projects regarding Smokey Bear’s 70th Birthday preparations 

and $10,000 for the development of Woodsy Owl educational products and to support to the licensing 

contract. These program support national initiatives, local programs, and products that help increase 

public awareness with regard to wildfire prevention (Smokey Bear) and maintenance of environmental 

quality (Woodsy Owl). There are no FTEs funded by this program. 

Authorities

Fees for the use of the Smokey Bear and Woodsy Owl characters by private enterprises are collected 

under regulations formulated by the Secretary of Agriculture. They are available to support:

Smokey Bear: to further the nationwide forest fire prevention campaign (16 U.S.C. 580 p-2) (18 

U.S.C. 711). 

Woodsy Owl: to promote wise use of the environment and programs that foster maintenance and 

improvement of environmental quality (16 U.S.C. 580 p-1) (formerly classified as 31 U.S.C. 

488a, 488b-3, 488b-6) (18 U.S.C. 711a). .

Program Description

The Smokey Bear program supports national initiatives, programs, and products that help increase public 

awareness in regard to wildfire prevention. The licensing program receives approximately $100,000 

yearly from royalties, of which 35 percent are paid to the licensee contractor for its services. The fire 

prevention specialist manages the licensing contract. Smokey Bear royalties also support the National 

Smokey Bear Award program and the national fire prevention public service campaign. The Chief of the 

USDA Forest Service has discretionary authority to use money from royalties in special projects that 

support the Smokey Bear fire prevention message. 

The Woodsy Owl program supports national initiatives, programs, and products that help increase public 

awareness of activities and issues related to improvement and maintenance of environmental quality. This 

licensing program is overseen by the national symbols program manager on the Conservation Education 

(CE) staff. The CE program identifies funding for the Woodsy Owl conservation program initiative to 

develop products, to manage the licensing program, and to enhance partnerships. The licensing contractor

receives 35 percent of the royalties reported. The focus of the Woodsy Owl licensing program is to collect 

royalties to develop a public service campaign to promote conservation of the environment. 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Permanent Appropriations 12-6

Budget Line Item

Restoration of Forest Lands and 

Improvements

(dollars in thousands)

FY 2011 

Enacted

FY 2012 

Enacted

FY 2013 

President's 

Budget

Program 

Changes

Permanent Funds

Restoration of Forest Lands and Improvements

New Budget Authority $18,502 $123,000 $35,000 -$88,000

Program Level 22,718 34,012 25,000 -9,012

Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs) 135 125 126 1

New Budget Authority: Amounts equal actual or anticipated receipts for the fiscal year.

Program Level: Actual balance of obligations in FY 2010 and planned obligations for FY 2011 and FY 2012.

FY 2013 Program Changes

The FY 2013 President’s Budget includes a program level of $25,000,000 for the Restoration of Forest 

Lands and Improvements, a decrease of $9,012,000 from FY 2012. Funds provide for the rehabilitation of 

forest resources or infrastructure that has been damaged due to negligence or contract non-performance of 

other parties. Restoration of Forest Lands and Improvements provides a funding mechanism to quickly 

bill, collect, and obligate funds necessary to restore damages to critical ecosystems and facilities so that 

repairs are not deferred or foregone.

Past Performance

Restoration of forest landscape and improvement funds are used to perform restoration and rehabilitation 

activities or infrastructure repair due to contractor damage, negligence, or non-performance. FY 2011 

accomplishments included: 

157 acres of Wildland Urban Interface high priority hazardous fuels treated

792 acres of hazardous fuels treated outside the Wildland Urban Interface to reduce the risk of 

catastrophic wildland fire

639 acres of forest vegetation established

1,433 acres of forest vegetation improved

134 acres of noxious weeds/invasive plant treatments

53 acres of water or soil resources protected, maintained, or improved to achieve desired 

watershed conditions

34 miles of system trail maintained to standard

Authorities

The Act of June 20, 1958 (16 U.S.C. 579c) (P.L. 85-464, Sec. 7, June 20, 1958, 72 Stat. 217). This Act 

authorizes establishment of a fund for improvement, protection, or rehabilitation of lands under the 

administration of the Forest Service. This fund receives monies from (a) a forfeiture of a bond or deposit 

by a permittee or timber purchaser for failure to complete performance of improvement, protection, or 

rehabilitation work required under the permit or timber sale contract or (b) the result of a judgment, 

compromise, or settlement of any claim, involving present or potential damage to lands or improvements. 

Funds are available until expended to cover the costs of performing the required work. Any funds 

received in excess of the amount expended in performing the work shall be transferred to miscellaneous 

receipts. 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Permanent Appropriations 12-7

Program Overview

This authority protects the interests of the Forest Service by allowing the agency to address a variety of 

situations. When work under a permit or timber sale contract is not completed by a permittee or timber 

purchaser, they forfeit their bond or deposit. These funds then transfer to the Restoration of Forest Lands 

and Improvements fund, and the Forest Service performs the work itself.

This authority also protects the interests of the Forest Service from present or potential damage to lands or 

improvements due to the actions of another party. This authority provides the Forest Service with the 

ability to use funds from a judgment, compromise, or claim settlement to address those damages. 

Restoration of Forest Lands and Improvements funds are available until expended. Any monies received 

in excess of the amount expended in performing the appropriate work is transferred to miscellaneous 

receipts. Based on a Comptroller General's Decision (67 Comp. Gen. 276), collections may be used to 

reimburse the Forest Service for any restoration costs paid from Forest Service appropriations before the 

collections were received. 

The proposed FY 2013 program funding level is based on field projections of anticipated work. 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Permanent Appropriations 12-8

Budget Line Item

Federal Lands Recreation 

Enhancement Fund

(dollars in thousands)

FY 2011 

Enacted

FY 2012 

Enacted

FY 2013 

President's 

Budget

Program 

Changes

Permanent Funds

Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Fund

New Budget Authority $64,939 $61,500 $61,500 0

Program Level 77,453 74,300 65,000 -$9,300

Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs) 632 501 536 35

New Budget Authority: Amounts equal actual or anticipated receipts for the fiscal year.

Program Level: Actual balance of obligations in FY 2010 and planned obligations for FY 2011 and FY 2012.

FY 2013 Program Changes

The FY 2013 President’s Budget includes a program level of $65,000,000 for the Federal Lands 

Recreation Enhancement Program, which is a $9,300,000 decrease from FY 2012. With the receipts 

collected from recreation fee sites, we will conduct annual maintenance and repairs to recreation facilities, 

enhance visitor services such as interpretation and education, and provide for the presence of law 

enforcement and other uniformed employees in recreation areas. We will prioritize reducing deferred 

maintenance at high-priority fee sites as identified in Recreation Facility Analysis (RFA) master plans and 

will improve the condition of the facilities used by the recreating public. These funds enable us to operate 

and maintain many recreation facilities that might otherwise be closed due to increasing costs.

Past Performance

The $94 million in revenues transferred from the Land and Water Conservation Fund in FY 2008 have 

been expended, as authorized by Congress under the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act. These 

funds benefited 421 projects and reduced deferred maintenance by approximately $66 million. 

From 2005-2010, the Forest Service has collected approximately $353 million in fee revenue, which 

includes revenue retained from outfitter and guide fees. During the same time the Forest Service has 

expended approximately $337 million to maintain and improve recreation sites and services across the 

Nation.

Authorities

Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act (16 U.S.C. 6806 and 6807) (P.L. 108-447, div. J, [title VIII, 

Sec. 807 and Sec. 808] Dec. 8, 2004, 118 Stat. 3388). This Act provides authority through December 

2014 to implement a fee program for certain recreation sites on Federal lands. Fees collected from users 

of recreation facilities are used to pay for on-the-ground operation, maintenance, and improvements of 

recreation sites and services to maintain and enhance recreation opportunities, visitor experiences, and 

related habitat. Funds are available until expended. The Act directs the creation of Recreation Resource 

Advisory Committees to allow for public involvement on recreation fee programs.

Program Overview 

We collect approximately $65 million annually to maintain and improve facilities and services for which 

the fees are collected. At least 80 percent of the fees collected are deposited in the Federal Lands 

Recreation Enhancement Fund and are spent on the area, site, or projects that directly relate to visitor 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Permanent Appropriations 12-9

enjoyment, access, and health and safety. Work activities include: annual operation and maintenance,

interpretation, signage, wildlife habitat restoration, resource preservation, and law enforcement. We 

execute a large amount of work in this program through contracts. 

The Forest Service is the contracting agency for the National Recreation Reservation Service (NRRS), 

part of Recreation.gov, an e-government initiative. The Forest Service has extended the contract through 

FY 2013, valued at $100 million to provide reservations for all recreation facilities on public lands that 

allow reservations. 

Allocation and Integration

Recreation fees supplement discretionary appropriations such as National Forest System – Recreation, 

Heritage and Wilderness and Capital Improvement and Maintenance – Facilities and Trails budget line 

items. Outputs associated with this program are combined and reported under individual resource 

programs throughout the Forest Service appropriated accounts.

Partnerships

Recreation fees are used to fund volunteer projects and leverage grants and other challenge cost-share 

dollars. These fees provide for the health and safety of visitors to national forest recreation areas and 

restore ecosystem damage caused by recreation use.

The Forest Service has chartered five Recreation Resource Advisory Committees (RRACs), which 

include the Southern, Eastern, and Pacific Northwest Regions, and the States of California and Colorado. 

In cooperation with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), the agency participates in 12 additional 

RRACs. These committees meet several times a year to review proposed changes to the recreation fee 

program. Chartering and sustaining these RRACs demonstrates our continued commitment to improving 

our effectiveness and efficiency through increased public involvement and cooperation. 

Partnering to Expand Lakeside Access in North Carolina

Visitors with strollers or who have mobility disabilities can now 

more easily access some lakes in North Carolina thanks, in part, to 

fee funds. The National Forests of North Carolina partnered with 

Tennessee Valley Authority and North Carolina Wildlife Resources 

Agency to construct accessible fishing platforms at Jackrabbit and 

Hanging Dog campgrounds. 

Restoring Canyon Views Near Mount St. Helens

With its suspension bridge, 30-foot ladder to descend a cliff, and 

incredible views of the mudflow-scoured canyon, the Lava Canyon 

Recreation Area is a must see when visiting Mt. St. Helens. A recent 

heavy winter storm shut down the trail after ravaging the area and 

damaging a bridge. The area was recently reopened with fee funds 

helping to repair the trail and viewing platforms, and to reconstruct 

the bridge. 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Permanent Appropriations 12-10

Budget Line Item

Federal Land and Facility

Enhancement Fund

(dollars in thousands)

FY 2011 

Enacted

FY 2012 

Enacted

FY 2013 

President's 

Budget

Program 

Changes

Permanent Funds

Federal Land and Facilities Enhancement Fund

New Budget Authority $8,662 $24,000 $9,000 -$15,000

Program Level 8,823 37,270 8,000 -29,270

Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs) 15 25 16 -9

New Budget Authority: Amounts equal actual or anticipated receipts for the fiscal year.

Program Level: Actual balance of obligations in FY 2010 and planned obligations for FY 2011 and FY 2012.

FY 2013 Program Changes

The 2013 President’s Budget includes a program level of $8,000,000 for the Federal Land and Facility 

Enhancement Fund, a decrease of $29,270,000 from FY 2012. The decrease is primarily due to using 

funds from past sales to prepare other facilities for sale, and the lower sale price of the new sales as 

compared to earlier sales. Funds will be used to initiate the conveyance of an estimated $5.4 million in 

land and excess administrative facilities, reducing deferred maintenance by approximately $3.3 million as 

displayed in Table B. Disposal of these assets are needed to right-size the agency’s real property portfolio. 

Additional funds will be directed towards maintenance and improvement of administrative facilities, with 

priority on eliminating health and safety risks at agency owned buildings.

Past Performance

In FY 2011, the agency collected $4.4 million through the completion of 13 land and facility 

conveyances. These conveyances reduced deferred maintenance by approximately $441 thousand and 

reduced facility area by 66,849 square feet, as displayed in Table A. Outputs associated with this program 

are combined with and reported under individual resource programs in the National Forest System, Land 

Acquisition, and Capital Improvement and Maintenance accounts.

Authorities

Numerous Federal statutes authorize the Secretary of Agriculture to retain proceeds from the conveyance 

of land and excess structures, and expend these revenues to acquire or develop land or make 

improvements for administrative purposes. Revenues received from the sale of land or structures are 

deposited into the Sisk Act Fund and are available without further appropriation.

Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations Act P.L. 107-63, Section 329, as amended by P.L. 108-7, 

P.L. 108-108, and P.L. 108-447. This Act provided authority through September 30, 2008 to implement a 

pilot program that allowed the agency to retain proceeds from the conveyance of excess structures and 

expend the receipts for building maintenance, rehabilitation, and construction.

Forest Service Facility Realignment and Enhancement Act (FSFREA) P.L. 109-54, Title V of the 

Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2006. This Act 

provided authority through September 30, 2008 to convey unneeded administrative sites and retain the 

proceeds for building maintenance, rehabilitation, and construction provided certain criteria contained in 

Title V are met. In addition, projects initiated under the pilot authority of P.L. 107-63, Section 329 may 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Permanent Appropriations 12-11

continue under the provisions of the FSFREA. This authority was extended through September 30, 2011 

pursuant to the Omnibus Appropriations Act, 2009 (P.L. 111-8). 

Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2012 (P.L. 112-74, (title IV, Sec. 421) Dec. 2011). This Act amends 

Section 503(f) of the Forest Service Facility Realignment and Enhancement Act of 2005 (title V of Public 

Law 109-54; 16 U.S.C. 580d note), as amended by section 422(1) of Public Law 111-8 (123 Stat. 748), 

by extending authorization to September 30, 2016.

Program Overview

The Forest Service currently owns approximately 16,200 administrative and research buildings. A large 

number of these facilities do not meet the agency’s needs and are either underutilized or in need of 

maintenance in order to meet current health and safety standards. More than 60 percent of Forest Service 

facilities are more than 30 years old and more than half have exceeded their design life. Without major 

and often costly renovations, these structures frequently fail to meet administrative needs due to 

inadequate space; improper location; high maintenance costs; and failure to meet current health, safety, 

and accessibility codes. Improving asset management allows the agency to fully utilize mission critical 

and mission dependent assets and manage those assets in the right condition and at the right cost. 

Work functions for this program include: notification, analysis, valuation, and realty case processing 

services; facility repairs, preventive maintenance and replacement of parts and structural components; 

construction of new facilities; alteration of existing facilities to change function; and expansion of 

facilities to meet the needs of changing mission critical functions.

The following programs are included in this Fund: 

Land and Facility Conveyances Under Special 

Legislation: This program enables specific 

national forests to convey land or facilities and use 

the proceeds to acquire, construct, or improve land 

and facilities within the same national forest or 

State.

Administrative Site Conveyances Program: This 

program provides for the realignment of the 

agency’s facility portfolio by providing an 

incentive for local managers to liquidate obsolete 

or underutilized assets and reinvest in assets that 

best support the agency’s mission. This authority 

provides the opportunity to efficiently address 

current and future needs, reduce annual lease 

costs, and reduce the deferred maintenance 

backlog. In addition to operational benefits, the 

program provides substantial economic and social 

benefits. These include providing local 

communities with an additional tax base and 

opportunities for redevelopment to align with 

community plans and economic stimulus 

strategies. 

Administrative Consolidation 

of the Uinta and Wasatch-Cache National Forests 

The Uinta and Wasatch-Cache National Forests were 

administratively consolidated in 2008. In 2012, they 

plan to move into one newly constructed building 

resulting in a reduction of 24,515 square feet of space 

and $700,000 per year in lease costs. This cost saving 

project was completed using FSFREA and other special 

legislative funds.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Permanent Appropriations 12-12

Allocation and Integration

Federal Land and Facility Enhancement proceeds compliment discretionary appropriations in the National 

Forest System, Landownership Management and Capital Improvement and Maintenance, Facilities and 

Deferred Maintenance and Infrastructure Improvement budget line items. The revenues generated from 

the sale of land and facilities play an integral role in enhancing the agency’s land and facility program. 

Outputs associated with this program are combined with and reported under other individual resource 

programs throughout the Forest Service appropriated accounts. The authority for obligation and 

expenditure of these funds is allocated to the regions based on the amounts collected from sales within 

that region.

Partnerships

The agency participates in partnerships with other Federal agencies through this program, including the 

General Services Administration who maintains a national memorandum of agreement with the Forest 

Service to fulfill the requirements of FSFREA, as well as tribal governments, local communities, local 

governments, and many private landowners. The program is enhanced by partnership opportunities that 

eliminate or reduce redundant efforts. Examples include leveraging funds to secure high priority resource 

lands for public access and resource protection or co-locating facilities with other Federal agencies and 

non-governmental organizations to lower operational costs.

TABLE A

FY 2011 Final Accomplishments Conveyance Projects

Region State Cong D. Forest Authority Project Name

Year 

Initiated Sale price 

Acres 

Conveyed

Deferred 

Maintenance 

Eliminated

Gross 

Square 

Footage 

Reduced

2 CO 5 Pike Rl

Fairplay 

Dwelling 2008 $132,000 0.2 $17,000 2,961

132,000 0.2 17,000 2,961

4 UT 1 Was-Cache RI 6200 South 2006 2,650,000 4.17 0 0

4 UT 3 Manti-La Sal RI Mt.Pleasant 2008 145,000 19.45 0 0

4 UT 3 FishLake RI Richfield Whse 2008 38,000 0.53 108,200 4,272

4 W Y 1 Bridger Teton R1

Thayne 

Dwelling 2008 85,500 0.72 4,600 1,560

2,918,500 24.87 112,800 5,832

6 OR 4 Willamette RI

 Lowell 

Warehouse 2008 460,000 2.13 30,000 18,619

6 OR 4 Willamette RB

Lowell vacant 

L d 2007 75,000 1.77 0

6 OR 4 Willamette RI

Lowell Pole 

Barn 2008 59,500 0.83 30,000

6 OR 2

Wallowa 

Whitman R1 Unity Middle 2009 111,000 1.35

6 OR 2

Wallowa 

Whitman R1 Unity Lower 2009 101,000 6.57 37,000 6,343

6 OR 4 Siuslaw R1 Gardiner 2008 198,000 3.5 69,000 9,986

6 W A 3 Olympic RI Quilcene 2008 330,000 1.78 57,000 14,017

1,334,500 17.93 223,000 48,965

9 I L 1 2 Shawnee RI Elizabethtown 2010 58,000 2.27 88,000 9,091

58,000 2.27 88,000 9,091

$4,443,000 45.27 $440,800 66,849

SUBTO TAL REGIO N 2 

SUBTO TAL REGIO N 4

SUBTO TAL REGIO N 6

SUBTO TAL REGIO N 9

TO TAL
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Permanent Appropriations 12-13

TABLE B

FY 2013 Planned FSFREA Conveyance Project List

(if FSFREA authority is extended)

Region State

Cong 

Dist Forest Project Name

Authority Used

GSF 

Eliminated Acres

Deferred 

Maintenance 

Reduction 

($1,000’s) 

Estimated 

Sale Value 

($1,000’s) 

Proceeds 

for 

Maintenance 

($1,000’s) 

Proceeds 

for new 

Constr. 

($1,000’s)

Proceeds 

for Bldg. 

Disposal 

($1,000s) 

Planned 

Conveyance 

Completion Date

1 MT Lolo Quartz Guard Station R1 5,010 31.00 $109 $75 $75 2014

Subtotal Region 1 5,010 31.00 $109 $75 $75 

2 CO 3

Grand 

Mesa/GunnisonNorth Delta Administrative 

Site R1 10,000 1.90 $846 $120 $120 2015

2 WY 1 Bighorn Buffalo Dwelling RI 2,600 0.29 $149 $150 $150 

Subtotal Region 2 12,600 2.19 $995 $270 $150 $120

3 AZ 1

Apache & 

Sitgreaves Yaqui Street House 1 FSFREA 1,376 .25 $30 $60 $60 FY 2013

3 AZ 1

Apache & 

Sitgreaves Yaqui Street House 2 FSFREA 1,376 .25 $30 $60 $60 FY 2013

Subtotal Region 3 2,752 .50 $60 $120 $120

4 NV 2

HumboldtToiyabe Tonopah District OfficeFY

2013-RI 3,086 3.50 $217 $150 $0 $150 $0 TBD

4 ID 2

SalmonChallisMackay Old Warehouse 

A.S.

FY

2013-RI 2,622 0.48 $69 $70 $70 $0 $0 TBD

4 UT 3

Uinta-WasCachePleasant Grove Ranger 

Station

FY

2013-RI 5,861 0.83 $108 $380 $0 $380 $0 TBD

4 UT 3

Uinta-WasCache

Spanish Fork RD Admin 

Sites (Spanish Fork RS, 

Spanish Fork AS, Nephi 

RS)

FY

2013-RI 14,322 7.61 $47 $1,100 $0 $1,100 $0 TBD

Subtotal Region 4 25,891 12.42 $441 $1,700 $70 $1,630 $0

6 WA 8

Mt. BakerSnoqualmieNorth Bend Compound 

(North parcel) FSFREA 2,200 2.00 $20 $250 $125 $125 2013

6 OR 2 FRE-WIN

Bly Rd – Work Center 

Buildings FSFREA 5,633 0.00 $182 $150 $150 2013

6 OR 4 Umpqua Powder House Parcel FSFREA 0 1.34 $0 $3 $3 2013

Subtotal Region 6 7,833 3.34 $202 $403 $128 $150 $125
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Permanent Appropriations 12-14

Region State

Cong 

Dist Forest Project Name

Authority Used

GSF 

Eliminated Acres

Deferred 

Maintenance 

Reduction 

($1,000’s) 

Estimated 

Sale Value 

($1,000’s) 

Proceeds 

for 

Maintenance 

($1,000’s) 

Proceeds 

for new 

Constr. 

($1,000’s)

Proceeds 

for Bldg. 

Disposal 

($1,000s) 

Planned 

Conveyance 

Completion Date

8 KY 6 Daniel Boone Stanton Ranger's Office RI 2,880 0.50 $79 $150 $150 2014

8 AK 3

Ozark-St. 

Francis

Mountainburg WC -

Vehicle Storage Bldg RI 2,370 0.25 $8 $80 $0 $0 $0 2014

8 LA 4 Kisatchie

Vernon Ranger Residence 

Lot Only RI N/A 0.37 $1 $15 $0 $0 $0 2013

8 VA 9 GWJeff Wise Residences (2) RI 4,460 0.70 $37 $200 2013

8 VA 6 GWJeff 

Deerfield (New) 

Workcenter RI 9,510 1.15 $27 $300 2013

8 VA 6 GWJeff Deerfield (Old) Workcenter RI 2,546 1.52 $14 $40 2013

8 VA 9 GWJeff

Brush

Creek Residence RI 1,794 2.66 $8 $50 2013

8 GA Chatt-Oconee Cohutta Workcenter RI, P 8,038 5.39 $125 $200 $200 2013

8 GA Chatt-Oconee Toccoa Workcenter RI, P 7,800 38.50 $61 $620 $520 2013

Subtotal Region 8 39,398 51.04 $360 $1,655 $0 $870 $0

9 MO 8 Mark Twain Marcoot Admin Site RI 2,508 0.00 $13 $12 $0 $12 $0 FY 2013

9 MO 7 Mark Twain Cassville Compound RI 7,857 0.00 $246 $82 $40 $42 FY 2013

9 MO 8 Mark Twain Winona Headquarters RI 14,482 0.00 $336 $86 $0 $86 FY 2013

9 IL 12 Shawnee Murphysboro Workcenter RI 11,292 3.26 $37 $50 $0 $50 FY 2013

9 IL 19 Shawnee Eddyville Residence RI 2,336 40.90 $130 $20 $20 $0 FY 2013

9 MN 8 Superior Wolf Center Land RB N/S 7.50 $0 $30 $0 $0 FY 2013

9 NH 2

White 

Mountain Highland Street Admin Site RI 5,541 0.70 $89 $160 $0 $160 FY 2014

9 ME 2

White 

Mountain

Evans Notch Admin 

Complex RI 7,106 9.93 $250 $250 $0 $200 $50 FY 2014

Subtotal Region 9 51,122 62 $1,101 $690 $60 $550 $50

22 MT

Atlarge

Rocky 

Mountain 

Research 

Station

Aldo Leopold Wilderness 

Institute Office Disposal R1 4,602 0.28 $60 $500 $500 FY 2014

Subtotal Research Station 4,602 0.28 $60 $500 $500 

ALL TOTAL ALL 149,208 163 $3,328 $5,413 $603 $3,820 $225
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Permanent Appropriations 12-15

 TABLE C

Change in Land and Facility Planned Conveyance Projects

The following project will be added to the Federal Land and Facility Conveyance listings in FY 2012

Fiscal 

Year Region State

Cong. 

District Forest Project Name Acres

Gross 

Square 

Footage 

Reduced

Deferred 

Maintenance 

Eliminated

2012 6 Oregon 2 Umatilla Ukiah District 0.1 1,075 $63,000

The following projects have been dropped from the Federal Land and Facility Conveyance listings in FY 2012

Fiscal 

Year

Regio

n State

Cong. 

District Forest Project Name Acres

Gross 

Square 

Footage 

Reduced

Deferred 

Maintenance 

Eliminated

2009 4 Utah 2 Dixie

Panguitch Ranger 

Administrative Site 2.4 3,987 $300,000

2008 4 Nevada 2

HumboltToiyabeMountain City RD 

Sites 35 12,350 $260,000

2008 4 Idaho 1 Payette Krassel Yard 16 27,478 $231,000

2008 4 Idaho 2

SalmonChallis Leadore Dwelling Site 4 4,616 $13,900

2010 4 Idaho 2 Sawtooth

Greenhorn Guard 

Station 5 to 40 1,118 $11,300

2008 2

South 

Dakota 1 Black Hills Teepee Work Center 0 $257,000

2008 2 Colorado 3

Grand 

Mesa/Gunniso

n

Montrose 

Administrative Site 3 $250,000

2006 9 PA 5 Allegheny Old Marionville HQs 14,584 $14,000

2006 9 PA 5 Allegheny

Marienville 

Unimproved Lot 2.4 $0

2006 9 MN 8 Chippewa

Walker Storm Water 

Pond $6,000

2008 9 PA 5 Allegheny

Sheffield Ranger 

Headquarters 21,487 $77,302

2009 9 MI 1 Ottawa

Ontonagon Ranger 

Dwelling 3,259 $45,000
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Permanent Appropriations 12-16

Budget Line Item

Timber Roads - Purchaser Election 

Construction Program

(dollars in thousands)

FY 2011 

Enacted

FY 2012 

Enacted

FY 2013 

President's 

Budget

Program 

Changes

Permanent Funds

Timber Roads - Purchaser Election Construction Program

New Budget Authority $4,000 $4,000 $2,000 -$2,000

Program Level 272 1,000 2,000 1,000

Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs) 1 4 4 0

New Budget Authority: Amounts equal actual or anticipated receipts for the fiscal year.

Program Level: Actual balance of obligations in FY 2010 and planned obligations for FY 2011 and FY 2012.

FY 2013 Program Changes 

The FY 2013 President’s Budget includes a program level of $2,000,000 for Timber Purchaser Election 

Road Construction, which is an increase of $1,000,000 from FY 2012. Program level and 

accomplishments in FY 2013 will depend upon the number of qualifying small businesses purchasing 

timber sales, and the number of those businesses that do not have the capability to perform the required 

road work under those sales. This program constructs or improves specified roads and bridges in order to 

support the timber harvest operations of small business operators.

Past Performance

In FY 2011, 9.1 miles of roads received maintenance, and 0.9 miles of high clearance roads were 

improved under the Purchaser Election Fund in support of the Forest Products program.

Authorities

National Forest Management Act of 1976 (16 U.S.C. 472a(i)). The Act authorizes the Secretary of 

Agriculture to use any receipts from the sale of timber for the construction of roads required under the 

timber sale contract. 

Department of the Interior and Related Appropriations Act, 1999 (16 USC 535a (c)) (P.L. 105-277, div. 

A, Sec. 101(e), [title III, Sec. 329], Oct. 21, 1998, 112 Stat. 2681-231, 2681-292). This Act authorizes 

small business timber purchasers to elect to pay the Forest Service to construct or reconstruct any 

permanent roads or bridges required by the timber sale. The timber purchaser must be classified as a small 

business operator, and the total estimated reconstruction and construction cost in the timber sale contract 

must exceed $50,000.

Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Appropriations Act, 2008 (P.L. 110-161, Sec. 6., 

div. F, [title IV, Sec. 423], Dec. 26, 2007, 121 Stat. 2150). This Act authorized the use of $15,000,000 

from current balances of the Purchaser Election Fund for vegetative treatments.

Program Overview 

The Purchaser Election program supports construction and reconstruction of any permanent road or 

bridge as required under the terms and conditions of a timber sale contract. When a small business timber 

purchaser is awarded a contract, the purchaser may elect to pay the Forest Service to construct or 

reconstruct specified roads in the timber sale contract to a standard necessary to harvest and remove 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Permanent Appropriations 12-17

timber and other forest products. The agency then uses the Purchaser Election funds to contract for the 

required road work and administer the contract. To qualify for this program the estimated cost of road 

construction or reconstruction must exceed $50,000. This program benefits small timber contractors who 

might otherwise be unable to bid on Forest Service timber sales, as well as provides for appropriate road 

improvements preventing soil degradation, stream sedimentation, or other damages resulting from poor 

road construction and maintenance.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Permanent Appropriations 12-18

Budget Line Item Timber Salvage Sales

(dollars in thousands)

FY 2011 

Enacted

FY 2012 

Enacted

FY 2013 

President's 

Budget

Program 

Changes

Permanent Funds

Timber Salvage Sales

New Budget Authority $26,251 $20,000 $20,000 0

Program Level 23,050 21,000 28,000 $7,000

Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs) 220 286 287 1

New Budget Authority: Amounts equal actual or anticipated receipts for the fiscal year.

Program Level: Actual balance of obligations in FY 2010 and planned obligations for FY 2011 and FY 2012.

FY 2009 

Actual

FY 2010 

Actual

FY 2011 

Target

FY 2011 

Actual

FY 2012 

Target

FY 2013 

Target

Timber Salvage Sales

Volume of salvage timber sold (hundred cubic 

feet (CCF)) 588,081 634,015 415,000 644,319 323,340 352,727

Volume of salvage timber sold (million board 

feet (MMBF)) 294 338 207 322 162 176

FY 2013 Program Changes 

The FY 2013 President’s Budget proposes a program level of $28,000,000, an increase of $7,000,000 

from FY 2012. The funding will be used to analyze, prepare, and offer new salvage sales while 

administering salvage timber sales awarded in the recent past. Salvage sale treatments primarily follow 

recent fire and insect outbreaks in the west. The Forest Service expects to sell about 353,000 CCF (176 

MMBF) of timber volume in FY 2013, which is nearly the same as the estimated target for FY 2012. The 

volume outcome from this permanent fund is included in the unified volume sold target displayed under 

the Integrated Resource Restoration budget line item for FY 2012 and FY 2013.

Past Performance

In FY 2011, the agency sold 644,319 CCF (322 MMBF) from Timber Salvage Sales, an attainment of 

over 55 percent more than its planned volume. Setting volume targets for this program can be difficult, as 

unit costs for salvage sales are highly variable, depending on the remaining value of the damaged, 

diseased, or insect-infested trees being removed to reduce the hazards posed to adjacent forest vegetation 

and communities. Salvage sales permit the timely removal of fire damage, insect damaged and diseased 

trees, aiding in developing health and resilience forest stands.

Authorities

The National Forest Management Act of 1976 (16 U.S.C. 472a (h)). This Act authorizes the Secretary of 

Agriculture to require purchasers of salvage timber to make monetary deposits in a designated Treasury 

fund to cover the costs for sale preparation and administration, and the engineering design and 

administration of any needed roads necessary for the harvesting of salvage timber. Funds are available 

until expended.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Permanent Appropriations 12-19

Program Overview

The Timber Salvage Sale program collects revenues from the sale of timber from dead and dying trees to 

prepare and administer future salvage timber sales, including the provision of engineering support. These 

revenues are deposited into the Salvage Sale Fund and are available to immediately respond to timber 

salvage opportunities. The removal of fire-damaged, diseased and insect-infested timber through timber 

sale contracts is a valuable tool to reduce the potential for catastrophic wildland fires and other hazards 

associated with dead or dying timber. Timely salvage sales also help maximize the recovery of timber 

product value that would otherwise be lost; and through the collection of Knutson-Vandenberg Act funds, 

can provide for restoration of an affected area.

Allocation and Integration

Timber Salvage Sale funds are allocated based upon the amount of cash available in regional salvage 

accounts and the relative need for treatment each fiscal year. In addition to the Salvage Sale Fund, timber 

sales are funded through regular appropriations and other special authorities, including the Timber Sale 

Pipeline Restoration Fund, the Knutson-Vandenberg Fund, and the Stewardship Contracting Fund. All of 

these funds may receive a portion of the revenues received from timber sales. 

Partnerships

Effective implementation of this program requires partnership with local timber industries, as having 

timber infrastructure located close to the national forests facilitates salvage timber sales. Without this 

infrastructure, timber sales may not be economically viable, and no salvage timber volume would be 

harvested.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Permanent Appropriations 12-20

Budget Line Item Stewardship Contracting

(dollars in thousands)

FY 2011 

Enacted

FY 2012 

Enacted

FY 2013 

President's 

Budget

Program 

Changes

Permanent Funds

Stewardship Contracting

New Budget Authority $7,806 $8,400 $8,400 0

Program Level 9,528 10,400 9,000 -$1,400

Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs) 2 0 0 0

New Budget Authority: Amounts equal actual or anticipated receipts for the fiscal year.

Program Level: Actual balance of obligations in FY 2010 and planned obligations for FY 2011 and FY 2012.

FY 2009 

Actual

FY 2010 

Actual

FY 2011 

Target

FY 2011 

Actual

FY 2012 

Target

FY 2013 

Target

Stewardship Contracting

Acres of forest vegetation established 1,344 434 3,950 4,373 5,600 5,600

Acres of forest vegetation improved 16,338 29,445 69,300 32,694 98,700 98,700

Acres of noxious weeds/ invasive plant 

treatments 6,535 732 45,000 1,604 107,700 107,700

Acres of wildlife habitat restored or improved 36,334 77,305 42,000 135,816 59,800 59,800

Miles of stream habitat restored or enhanced 4 7 5 0 6 5 9 1 200 200

Miles of roads decommissioned 9 0 100 4 4 140 4 4

Miles of high clearance system roads improved 116 137 135 8 5 8 0 8 0

Miles of passenger car system roads improved 5 4 3 9 6 0 4 7 4 0 4 0

Volume of timber sold (hundred cubic feet 

(CCF)) 743,417 1,133,837 1,500,000 962,486 2,394,000 2,394,000

Volume of timber sold (million board feet 

(MMBF)) 372 567 750 481 1,197 1,197

Green tons of biomass made available for energy 

production 467,266 735,007 1,090,000 477,921 1,556,000 1,556,000

Acres of stewardship contracts / agreements 

awarded 88,304 152,834 250,000 100,577 300,000 300,000

Acres of hazardous fuels treated to reduce the 

risk of catastrophic fires 69,607 123,261 126,000 103,522 180,000 180,000

Acres of wildland-urban interface (WUI) highpriority hazardous fuels treated 36,858 65,751 42,000 61,608 59,800 59,800

Number of stewardship contracts / agreements 

contributing to watersheds in fully functioning 

condition (number) 4 5 9 2 0 1 3 2 0 2 0

FY 2013 Program Changes

The FY 2013 President’s Budget proposes a program level of $9,000,000 for the Stewardship Contracting 

Fund, a reduction of $1,400,000 from FY 2012. This proposal would provide permanent authorization for 

Stewardship Contracting, which expires at the end of FY 2013. The Forest Service estimates conducting 

work through stewardship contracts or agreements on 300,000 acres in FY 2013; this approach supports 

our goals to create jobs while we restore forest and watershed health. Stewardship funds become available 

when the sale of forest products exceeds the cost of the service work obtained under an integrated 

resource contract. This funding is used to:

Improve, maintain, and restore forest and rangeland health

Restore and maintain water quality

Improve fish and wildlife habitat; reestablish native plant species

Reduce hazardous fuels that pose risks to communities and ecosystem values
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Permanent Appropriations 12-21

The 2013 President’s Budget proposes permanent authority for Stewardship Contracting. This proposal 

would provide the agency flexibility to accomplish collaborative restoration work at a landscape scale. 

Past Performance

Key accomplishments in FY 2011 utilizing Stewardship Contracting retained receipts include: 

135,816 acres of wildlife habitat were restored or improved

4,374 acres of forest vegetation were established

32,694 acres of forest vegetation were improved

1,604 acres of noxious weed and invasive plant treatments were administered 

61,608 acres of Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) hazardous fuels were treated

Retained receipts deposited in the Stewardship Contracting Fund may be used to accomplish a wide 

variety of activities utilizing stewardship contracting authority. The mix and level of accomplishments 

vary annually. This is due in part to the variability both in the resource work needed in the region where 

the receipts are collected and the cost of those activities. 

The performance accomplishments described above are a subset of the total accomplishments associated 

with stewardship contracting authority. Appropriated funds from a variety of program areas may be used 

to implement projects utilizing stewardship contracting authority. 

Authorities

Department of the Interior and Related Appropriations Act, 1999 (16 USC 2104 note) (P.L. 105-277, div. 

A, Sec. 101(e), [title III, Sec. 347], Oct. 21, 1998, Stat. 2681-231, amended by Department of the Interior 

and Related Appropriations Act, 2003, P.L. 108-7, div. F, [title III, Sec. 323], Feb. 20, 2003, 117 Stat. 

275). Section 323 of P.L. 108-7 supersedes the original authority granted to the Forest Service in section 

347 of P.L. 105-277. This Act authorizes the Forest Service to enter into stewardship projects via 

agreement or contract to perform services to achieve land management goals and meet local and rural 

community needs. 

Program Overview 

Stewardship contracting enables the Forest Service to apply the value of timber or other forest products 

from stewardship sales as an offset against the costs to accomplish land and resource management 

objectives. If the offset value exceeds the value of the resource improvement treatments, those receipts 

are retained and deposited in the Stewardship Contracting Fund and are available until expended for other 

authorized stewardship projects. Stewardship Contracting funds may be used for: 

Road and trail maintenance or decommissioning to restore or maintain water quality

Work to improve soil productivity, or other resource values

Prescribed fires to improve the composition, structure, condition, and health of timber stands or to 

improve wildlife habitat

Removal of vegetation or other activities to promote healthy forests, reduce fire hazards, or 

achieve other land management objectives

Restoration and maintenance of watersheds

Restoration and maintenance of wildlife and fish habitat

Control of noxious and invasive weeds, and re-establishment of native plant species
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Permanent Appropriations 12-22

Allocation and Integration

Stewardship Contracting retained receipts remain on the unit where the receipts were collected for use on 

other authorized stewardship projects. Funds can be used on other units after approval by the regional 

forester in the region where the receipts were collected.

Partnerships

Stewardship contracting allows for national, regional, and local-level partnerships. Significant 

partnerships exist with national organizations such as the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and the Wild 

Turkey Federation, which provide assistance in areas such as training and project implementation. In 

addition to these national organizations, there are many local collaborative partnerships that have been 

built through stewardship contracting. These collaborative partnerships have resulted in community 

support for stewardship projects and have helped the agency to move forward with projects without 

litigation costs and delays that often confront traditional timber sales and some hazardous fuel reduction 

projects.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Permanent Appropriations 12-23

Budget Line Item

Timber Sales - Pipeline Restoration 

Fund

(dollars in thousands)

FY 2011 

Enacted

FY 2012 

Enacted

FY 2013 

President's 

Budget

Program 

Changes

Permanent Funds

Timber Sales - Pipeline Restoration Fund

New Budget Authority $6,390 $6,200 $6,200 0

Program Level 3,830 5,600 10,600 $5,000

Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs) 34 63 58 -5

New Budget Authority: Amounts equal actual or anticipated receipts for the fiscal year.

Program Level: Actual balance of obligations in FY 2010 and planned obligations for FY 2011 and FY 2012.

FY 2009 

Actual

FY 2010 

Actual

FY 2011 

Target

FY 2011 

Actual

FY 2012 

Target

FY 2013 

Target

Timber Sales Pipeline Preparation

Volume of pipeline timber prepared (hundred 

cubic feet (CCF)) 571,061 556,846 670,000 581,055 740,000 420,500

Volume of pipeline timber prepared (million 

board feet (MMBF)) 285 320 335 290 370 210

FY 2013 Program Changes

The FY 2013 President’s Budget includes a program level of $10,600,000 for the Timber Sales Pipeline 

Restoration Fund, an increase of $5,000,000 from FY 2012. Specific program funding within this request 

is as follows:

Timber Sales Pipeline Preparation: The FY 2013 President’s Budget includes funding for the timber sales 

pipeline preparation. About 420,500 CCF (210 MMBF) of timber volume would be added to the pipeline 

of timber sales prepared as a result of this funding. Program levels remain unchanged based on projected 

receipts collected in FY 2012. 

Recreation Backlog: The FY 2013 President’s Budget includes funding for the backlog of recreation 

maintenance projects. Emphasis will be placed on repairs to correct health and safety deficiencies, 

reductions in the backlog of deferred maintenance at priority recreation sites as identified in forests’ 

Recreation Facility Analyses, and maintenance of system trails. 

Past Performance

In FY 2011, 581,055 CCF (290 MMBF) in timber pipeline volume was prepared. Outputs associated with 

the recreation backlog projects are combined and reported under the Capital Improvement and 

Maintenance, Facilities and Trails programs.

Authorities

Department of the Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 1996 (P.L. 104-134, Sec. 101 (c), 

[title III Sec. 327], April 26, 1996, 110 Stat. 1321-206 and 207). The Secretary of Agriculture is 

authorized to collect and deposit revenues from a specific set of timber sales (i.e., sales released under 

P.L. 104-19, [title II, Sec. 2001(k)], July 27, 1995) for the purpose of preparing timber sales and 

addressing the backlog of recreation projects. Revenues from the sale of timber prepared using these 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Permanent Appropriations 12-24

funds are also deposited into this fund and are available for preparation of additional timber sales and 

recreation backlog projects.

Program Overview

The Timber Sales Pipeline Restoration Fund accomplishes a multitude of land and resource management 

objectives, such as improving forest health, restoring wildlife habitat, and providing forest products to 

meet local and national needs. In addition, the fund helps to address health and safety issues in recreation 

facilities and on system trails, benefiting the recreating public by addressing maintenance issues that may 

cause harm or otherwise detract from the outdoor experience. These activities are aligned with the 

agency’s water conservation goals and ensure forest and grasslands are conserved, restored, and made 

more resilient to climate change.

The following programs are included in the Fund:

Timber Sales Pipeline Preparation: Seventy five percent of the Timber Sales Pipeline Restoration funds 

are used for preparation of future non-salvage timber sales to restore the timber sales pipeline volume. 

This activity provides for the NEPA analysis to meet long term forest health and desired condition 

objectives, determination of the volume and value of the trees to be removed, and timber sale layout and 

design leading to timber sales offered in future years. Expenditures may also include the necessary 

planning and design for the associated timber roads.

Recreation Backlog: Twenty-five percent of the Timber Sales Pipeline Restoration funds are expended 

on backlog recreation facility projects and system trails. This activity includes maintenance and 

improvement of recreation sites, system trails, bridges, and trailheads. 

Allocation and Integration

Funding is allocated to the field each year based upon the actual prior year collections from qualifying 

timber sales, with 75 percent of the net receipts collected in each region being returned to the region for 

additional timber sales pipeline work, and the remaining 25 percent for recreation backlog.

In addition to this fund, timber sales are funded through the NFS, IRR budget line item as well as the 

Salvage Sale Fund and the KV Trust Fund. Recreation facility and trail projects are also funded through 

the Capital Improvement and Maintenance, Facilities, Trails, and Deferred Maintenance and 

Infrastructure Improvement budget line items, the Legacy Roads and Trails activity in the IRR budget line 

item, and the Permanent Appropriation, Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Fund. 

Partnerships

Effective implementation of this program requires partnership with local timber industries, as having 

timber infrastructure located close to the national forests facilitates timber sales. Without this 

infrastructure, timber sales might not be economically viable, and no timber volume would be harvested. 

The agency accomplishes valuable recreation facility and trails work by leveraging funds and in-kind 

contributions through many partnerships. The Forest Service engages volunteers, concessionaires, and 

other partners to enhance recreation experiences and help maintain nearly 70 percent of agency owned 

recreation sites. Trail crews are one of the primary means for the Forest Service to employ young adults 

and partner with local communities and interest groups.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Permanent Appropriations 12-25

Budget Line Item Forest Botanical Products

(dollars in thousands)

FY 2011 

Enacted

FY 2012 

Enacted

FY 2013 

President's 

Budget

Program 

Changes

Permanent Funds

Forest Botanical Products

New Budget Authority $1,589 $1,500 $1,500 0

Program Level 1,796 1,800 1,800 0

Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs) 21 26 27 1

New Budget Authority: Amounts equal actual or anticipated receipts for the fiscal year.

Program Level: Actual balance of obligations in FY 2010 and planned obligations for FY 2011 and FY 2012.

FY 2009 

Actual

FY 2010 

Actual

FY 2011 

Target

FY 2011 

Actual

FY 2012 

Target

FY 2013 

Target

Forest Botanical Products

Sold value of forest botanical products $1,773,732 $2,319,435 $2,250,000 $1,589,163 $2,300,000 $2,300,000

FY 2013 Program Changes

The FY 2013 President’s Budget includes a program level of $1,800,000 for the Forest Botanical 

Products Fund, the same as FY 2012. Funds facilitate the sale of forest botanical products that meet local 

and national needs. This program continues to assure the sustainable and environmentally benign removal 

of botanical products that are culturally important, medicinal, or that have a variety of other uses.

The estimated value of forest botanical products is dependent on market conditions; however we expect a 

relatively level demand during the life of the pilot program, which is authorized to collect fees through the

end of FY 2014.

Past Performance

Total value of forest botanical products sold in FY 2011, based on collections, was $1,589,163, a decrease 

of $730,272 compared to FY 2010. The decrease in collections may have been due to a change in 

demand. Historically an increase in demand has led to increased competition for often limited forest 

product resources. Administration of this program permits the sale and harvest of forest botanical 

products in a sustainable manner.

Authorities

Department of the Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2000 (16 U.S.C. 528 note) (P.L. 

106-113, div. B, Sec. 1000(a)(3), [Appendix C, title III, Sec. 339], Nov. 29, 1999, 113 Stat. 1535, 1501A199, as amended by P.L. 108-108,[title III, Sec. 335], Nov. 10, 2003, 117 Stat. 1312, and P.L. 111-88, 

[title IV, Sec. 420], Oct. 30, 2009, 123 Stat. 2960). This Act authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to 

charge and collect fees from persons who harvest forest botanical products to cover costs to the agency. 

Funds collected are deposited in a special fund in the Treasury. This authority is authorized through 

September 30, 2014, with the funds collected available for expenditure through September 30, 2015. 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Permanent Appropriations 12-26

Program Overview

This pilot authority provides a mechanism for charging and collecting fees from persons who harvest 

forest botanical products. Fees collected are to cover the costs associated with granting, modifying, or 

administering the authorization for harvesting, including the costs for environmental analyses. Work 

activities include inventory, analysis, sustainability determination for harvest levels, permit issuance and 

administration, and monitoring to facilitate the sale and harvest of forest botanical products. The 

objectives of this pilot program are to maintain, enhance, or restore forest ecosystems to desired 

conditions, and to provide for the sale and harvest of forest botanical products in a sustainable manner 

that contributes to meeting the Nation’s demand for these goods and services. 

Allocation and Integration

Under this authority, funds collected through FY 2014 are authorized for expenditure through FY 2015, 

on the unit where the funds were collected. The Forest Botanical Products fund supplements the National 

Forest System, Integrated Resource Restoration program for the sale and administration of forest 

botanical products.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Permanent Appropriations 12-27

Budget Line Item Roads and Trails (10 Percent) Fund

(dollars in thousands)

FY 2011 

Enacted

FY 2012 

Enacted

FY 2013 

President's 

Budget

Program 

Changes

Permanent Funds

Roads and Trails (10 Percent) Fund

New Budget Authority $4,496 0 0 0

Program Level 1,163 0 0 0

Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs) 0 0 0 0

New Budget Authority: Amounts equal actual or anticipated receipts for the fiscal year.

Program Level: Actual balance of obligations in FY 2010 and planned obligations for FY 2011 and FY 2012.

FY 2013 Program Changes 

The FY 2013 President’s Budget program level is zero. The Forest Service proposes to transfer all prior 

year (FY 2012) unexpended collections under this authority to the General Fund of the Treasury. From 

FY 2008 through FY 2012, Congress directed that funds becoming available under the Act of March 4, 

1913 be transferred to Treasury. The agency proposes to continue deferral of any payments to this fund.

FY 2011 Enacted FY 2012 Enacted FY 2013 President’s Budget

-$1,163,000 -$12,000,000 -$12,000,000

Receipts collected in the prior 

year (FY 2010) were transferred 

to Treasury.

Receipts collected in prior years

(FY 2011) will be transferred to 

Treasury

This budget proposes to transfer 

receipts collected during FY 

2012 to the Treasury in FY 2013.

Past Performance

In FY 2011, the agency improved approximately 8.8 miles of Passenger Car Road using prior year 

carryover funds. No new funds were available in FY 2011.

Authorities

The Act of March 4, 1913, as amended (16 U.S.C. 501). This Act authorizes 10 percent of all moneys 

received from the national forests during each fiscal year to be expended for the construction and 

maintenance of roads and trails within the national forests in the States from which proceeds are derived.

Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Appropriations Act, 2010 (P.L. 111-88, div. A, title 

III, Oct. 30, 2009, 123 Stat. 2940). This Act directed “That funds becoming available in fiscal year 2010 

under the Act of March 4, 1913 (16 U.S.C. 501) shall be transferred to the General Fund of the Treasury 

and for any other purpose unless the funds are appropriated.”

Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2012 (P.L. 112-74, Dec. 2011). This Act directed “That funds 

becoming available in fiscal year 2012 under the Act of March 4, 1913 (16 U.S.C. 501) shall be 

transferred to the General Fund of the Treasury and shall not be available for transfer or obligation for any 

other purpose unless the funds are appropriated.”
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Permanent Appropriations 12-28

Program Overview 

Under this fund, 10 percent of all national forest receipts are used by the Forest Service, without regard to 

the State in which the amounts were derived, to repair or reconstruct roads, bridges, and trails on NFS 

lands. Funds are directed towards correcting road and trail deficiencies that adversely affect ecosystems. 

Beginning in FY 1999 and continuing in subsequent appropriation acts, the authority was expanded to 

allow the use of funds for the purpose of improving forest health conditions, and repairing or 

reconstructing roads and bridges on NFS lands in the wildland-urban interface where there is an 

abnormally high risk of fire. The program reduces risk to human safety and public health and property, 

and enhances ecological functions, long-term forest productivity, and biological integrity. 

FY 2009 was the last year the agency received new Roads and Trails (10 Percent) Funds. 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Permanent Appropriations 12-29

Budget Line Item

Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie 

Rental Fee Fund

(dollars in thousands)

FY 2011 

Enacted

FY 2012 

Enacted

FY 2013 

President's 

Budget

Program 

Changes

Permanent Funds

Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie Rental Fee Fund

New Budget Authority $1,572 $500 $500 0

Program Level 669 800 800 0

Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs) 0 1 1 0

New Budget Authority: Amounts equal actual or anticipated receipts for the fiscal year.

Program Level: Actual balance of obligations in FY 2010 and planned obligations for FY 2011 and FY 2012.

FY 2013 Program Changes

The FY 2013 President’s Budget includes a program level of $800,000, the same level as FY 2012. Funds 

restore and manage prairie and wetland habitats on the Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie (MNP). 

Authorities

The Illinois Land Conservation Act of 1995 (16 U.S.C. 1609 note) (P.L. 104-106, div. B, [title XXIX, 

sec. 2915 (b), (c)], Feb. 10, 1996, 110 Stat. 601-602). The Secretary of Agriculture is authorized to issue 

agricultural special use authorizations or grazing permits for purposes primarily related to erosion control, 

provision for food and habitat for fish and wildlife, or other resource management activities consistent 

with the purposes of the Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie.

Program Overview

The Illinois Land Conservation Act of 1995 established MNP, to be managed as part of the National 

Forest System. The Act authorized the Secretary of Agriculture to issue agricultural special use 

authorizations and grazing permits. After appropriate payments to the State of Illinois and Will County, 

pursuant to the Act of May 23, 1908, and section 13 of the Act of March 1, 1911 (16 U.S.C. 500), 

available receipts from rental fees may be used to cover the cost of restoration, prairie improvements, and 

administrative activities directly related to those activities 

The funds provide for maintenance of native plant communities and grassland bird habitat at the prairie. 

The ability to collect funds from grazing and agricultural uses provides a needed resource to the prairie 

managers to continue to restore ecosystems and habitats in order to enhance biodiversity; promote 

scientific, environmental, and educational research; develop best practices for land management; and 

provide a variety of recreation opportunities which would otherwise be foregone.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Permanent Appropriations 12-30

Budget Line Item

Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie 

Restoration Fund

(dollars in thousands)

FY 2011 

Enacted

FY 2012 

Enacted

FY 2013 

President's 

Budget

Program 

Changes

Permanent Funds

Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie Restoration Fund

New Budget Authority 0 0 0 0

Program Level 0 0 0 0

Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs) 0 0 0 0

New Budget Authority: Amounts equal actual or anticipated receipts for the fiscal year.

Program Level: Actual balance of obligations in FY 2010 and planned obligations for FY 2011 and FY 2012.

FY 2013 Program Changes

No funds are included for this program in the FY 2013 President’s Budget.

Past Performance

To date, salvage opportunities anticipated by the legislation have not materialized; less than $4,000 has 

been generated by the Fund over the past 10 years. No expenditures have been made from this account 

since its creation. 

Authorities

The Illinois Land Conservation Act of 1995 (16 U.S.C. 1609 note) (P.L. 104-106, div. B, [title XXIX, 

sec. 2915 (d), (e) and (f)], Feb. 10, 1996, 110 Stat. 602). The Secretary of Agriculture is authorized to 

charge reasonable user fees for the admission, occupancy, and use of the Midewin National Tallgrass 

Prairie; and may sell for salvage value any facilities and improvements which have been transferred under 

this Act. The Secretary may use amounts in the fund, in such amounts as are provided in advance in 

Appropriation Acts, for restoration and administration of the Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie.

Program Overview

The Illinois Land Conservation Act of 1995 established the Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie (MNP), to 

be managed as part of the National Forest System. Receipts from grazing fees, agricultural leases for row 

crops, sales of surplus equipment, and the salvage value proceeds from the sale of any facilities and 

improvements can be used to cover the cost of restoration of ecosystems; construction of a visitor center, 

recreational facilities, trails, and administrative office; prairie improvement; and operation and 

maintenance of the MNP.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Permanent Appropriations 12-31

Budget Line Item

Operation and Maintenance of 

Quarters

(dollars in thousands)

FY 2011 

Enacted

FY 2012 

Enacted

FY 2013 

President's 

Budget

Program 

Changes

Permanent Funds

Operation and Maintenance of Quarters

New Budget Authority $7,860 $8,200 $8,400 $200

Program Level 7,907 10,000 10,000 0

Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs) 30 27 28 1

New Budget Authority: Amounts equal actual or anticipated receipts for the fiscal year.

Program Level: Actual balance of obligations in FY 2010 and planned obligations for FY 2011 and FY 2012.

FY 2013 Program Changes 

The FY 2013 President’s Budget includes a program level of $10,000,000 for the Operation and 

Maintenance of Quarters program, the same level as FY 2012. These funds maintain employee occupied 

living quarters in safe and healthy conditions. The program will emphasize improvements to water 

systems and health and safety issues. 

Authorities

Forest Service Quarters Operations and Maintenance (5 U.S.C. 5911, Other Provisions). This Act 

authorizes the collection of rental income from employees living in government owned or leased 

residences. Such rents and charges are deposited in a special Treasury fund, and remain available for 

obligation until expended, for maintenance and operation of quarters. 

Program Overview 

This program provides for maintenance, 

operation, and management of employee 

housing facilities, including associated utility 

systems. Funds may also be used to pay the 

rental costs for leased quarters, including 

utilities, due to extreme housing shortages in an 

area. In addition to maintaining safe and 

pleasant housing, work using this fund 

contributes to the reduction of the agency’s 

deferred maintenance backlog.

This fund covers all types of maintenance of a 

structure or building, including any 

government-owned property and any appliances 

integral to the facility. The fund does not cover 

betterments, additions, replacement 

construction, or new construction.

Operation of Maintenance and Quarters 

Operation of Maintenance and Quarters allow the agency to 

provide adequate housing to employees, at often very remote 

locations, where no other options are available.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Permanent Appropriations 12-32

Past Performance

Accomplishments under this program are recorded in the Capital Improvement and Maintenance -

Facilities Section.

Allocation and Integration

Rental deposits are pooled and remain on the forest where the deposits are collected. Maintenance costing 

less than $250,000 may be funded using the Facilities Maintenance Assessment funds (Cost Pool 09), if 

Quarters Maintenance funds are not available. Maintenance needs, greater than $250,000 in cost, may be 

funded using the Capital Improvement and Maintenance - Facilities and Deferred Maintenance and 

Infrastructure Improvement budget line items. 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Permanent Appropriations 12-33

Budget Line Item

Land Between the Lakes Management 

Fund

(dollars in thousands)

FY 2011 

Enacted

FY 2012 

Enacted

FY 2013 

President's 

Budget

Program 

Changes

Permanent Funds

Land Between the Lakes Management Fund

New Budget Authority $3,824 $4,000 $4,000 0

Program Level 3,803 5,000 5,000 0

Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs) 17 20 21 1

New Budget Authority: Amounts equal actual or anticipated receipts for the fiscal year.

Program Level: Actual balance of obligations in FY 2010 and planned obligations for FY 2011 and FY 2012.

FY 2013 Program Changes

The FY 2013 President’s Budget includes a program level of $5,000,000, the same level as FY 2012. 

Funds provide opportunities for public education and regional promotion in cooperation with 

development districts, chambers of commerce, and State and local governments. Land Between the Lakes 

(LBL) continues to use funds to cover additional anticipated program elements of the Respect the 

Resource environmental education program. LBL is working to increase teacher recruitment, especially 

newer teachers, by showing teachers the programs offered as well as helping them to cultivate skills that 

can be used in the classrooms upon their return to their schools. In anticipation of the upcoming 50th

anniversary of LBL in June 2013, planning efforts are beginning as an opportunity to promote the LBL 

Area. 

Past Performance

In FY 2011, the LBL Trust Fund continued its support of a successful school grant program for 

environmental education by awarding grants to 28 schools, and serving more than 2,000 students. The 

Fund continued to support the recycling campaign tied to LBL’s Respect the Resource program, utilizing 

displays and interpretive signage to educate LBL staff and visitors to facilities. The campaign also 

assisted with education about water use and plastics. 

Authority

Land Between the Lakes Protection Act of 1998 (16 U.S.C. 460lll-31) (P.L. 105-277, div. A, Sec. 101(e) 

[title V, Sec. 531], Oct. 21, 1998, 112 Stat. 2681-317). This Act establishes the Land Between the Lakes 

Trust Fund. In accordance with Title V of the Act, responsibility for the LBL National Recreation Area in 

Kentucky and Tennessee transferred from the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) to the Secretary of 

Agriculture.

Program Overview

The LBL Protection Act called for LBL to be managed as a unit of the NFS. Section 531 of the Act 

established a special interest bearing fund known as the LBL Trust Fund, to be available for public 

education, grants, and internships related to recreation, conservation, and multiple-use land management; 

and regional promotion in cooperation with development districts, chambers of commerce, and State and 

local governments. 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Permanent Appropriations 12-34

In accordance with the terms described in the Act, beginning September 30, 2000, TVA began depositing 

$1 million dollars annually into the fund for five consecutive years, for a total of $5 million dollars. The 

Forest Service has allowed the principal balance to grow and much of the interest to compound, and LBL 

has now begun to use the interest earned on the fund for the purposes intended by Congress. 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Permanent Appropriations 12-35

Budget Line Item Valles Caldera Fund

(dollars in thousands)

FY 2011 

Enacted

FY 2012 

Enacted

FY 2013 

President's 

Budget

Program 

Changes

Permanent Funds

Valles Caldera Fund

New Budget Authority $732 $900 $900 0

Program Level 1,362 800 800 0

Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs) 0 2 2 0

New Budget Authority: Amounts equal actual or anticipated receipts for the fiscal year.

Program Level: Actual balance of obligations in FY 2010 and planned obligations for FY 2011 and FY 2012.

FY 2013 Program Changes 

The FY 2013 President’s Budget includes a program level of $800,000, the same amount as FY 2012. 

Funds provide for the management and administration of the Valles Caldera National Preserve (Preserve) 

by the Valles Caldera Trust (Trust), a government corporation. This level is based on receipts taken in by 

the Trust and available for use in FY 2013. The ability to charge and retain receipts provides the 

mechanism for the Trust to improve access, enhance recreational opportunities, upgrade infrastructure, 

purchase branded products for resale, market programs and activities, along with to assist in the 

management of the Preserve’s facility rentals for the purpose of providing education programs. The 

benefits of these programs are to facilitate the management of the Preserve and to further the statutory 

obligation of the Trust to become financially self-sufficient.

Past Performance 

In FY 2011, the Trust focused on keeping the Preserve open year round and offering additional recreation 

and education programs and activities which contributed to a dramatic increase in public participation 

from FY 2010. Public programs included hunting, fishing, hiking, van tours, environmental education, 

along with winter programs, and special events. Total revenue generated from these recreation programs 

totaled $647,479. In FY 2011 the Trust issued a request for proposal to conduct an ecologically and 

economically viable livestock operation on the Preserve. This program will also contribute revenue 

towards management of the Preserve’s resources.

The Preserve continues with two major planning efforts and will work to complete the two environmental 

impact statements (EISs) in FY 2012. The two EISs are the Preserve Access and Use Plan, along with the

Preserve Landscape Restoration and Management Plan. 

Authorities

Valles Caldera Preservation Act (16 U.S.C. 698v-4, 698v-6). (P.L. 106-248, [title I, Sec. 106, Sec. 108], 

July 25, 2000, 114 Stat. 603 and 607; as amended by P.L. 109-132, [Sec. 2 (b) – (d)], 119 Stat. 2570). 

This Act authorizes the Valles Caldera Trust to receive and collect funds in support of the management 

and administration of the Preserve. This includes the authority to assess fees for admission to, the use, and 

occupancy of the Preserve. In addition, the Trust may solicit and accept donations of funds, property, 

supplies, or services for the purpose of management of the Preserve.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Permanent Appropriations 12-36

Program Overview 

The Valles Caldera Preservation Act provided for the acquisition of the Baca Ranch located in the Jemez 

Mountains of New Mexico, designated the acquired lands as the Valles Caldera National Preserve, and 

created the Valles Caldera Trust to manage the 88,900 acre tract. The Preserve protects scientific, scenic, 

geologic, watershed, wildlife, historic, heritage, and recreational values and provides for multiple uses 

and the sustained yield of renewable resources. The Preserve is managed by the Trust, a government 

corporation that prepares annual budgets with the goal of achieving a financially self-sustaining operation 

by 2015.

The Act allows for a variety of approaches to generate revenue in support of management of the Preserve 

and to carry out the duties of the Trust. Various funding mechanisms exist from private, public and nonprofit organizations. Options include accepting donations from foundations or the private sector through 

charitable giving; or charging fees for use (ex. grazing, forest products, filming, etc); and assessing 

admission fees and use fees. All monies received are deposited in the Valles Caldera Fund, which is an 

interest bearing account. These receipts are available without further appropriation for the administration, 

preservation, restoration, operation, maintenance, and improvement of the Preserve and its properties.

Partnerships 

The Act requires management of the Preserve by the Trust, a government corporation subject to the 

Government Corporation Control Act. A nine member Board of Trustees is responsible for the protection 

and development of the Preserve. Seven of its members are appointed by the President of the U.S. In 

addition, the current Superintendent of nearby Bandelier National Monument and the Forest Supervisor of 

the Santa Fe National Forest also serve on the Board. All Board decisions are made at public meetings. In 

August of 2002, management authority was transferred to the Trust. 

The Preserve benefits from monetary as well as non-monetary contributions. Non-monetary contributions 

include time and expertise contributed by our many volunteers. In 2011, the Trust increased volunteer 

hours from 2010. These volunteers assisted with many of the recreation programs, along with wetland 

restoration projects throughout the year.

Extramural funding refers to money invested in projects; mostly research, inventory, and monitoring, 

conducted on the Preserve by outside agencies and organizations. The continuing objective of the Trust is 

to encourage scientific activities on the Preserve. Indicators for science community interest in studying 

the Preserve can be gleaned from the number of projects conducted, the amount of funding generated to 

support these projects, and the number of publications and presentations resulting from the research. 

Funding in FY 2011, from outside (non-VCT) sources, came from 44 different project sources, and 

exceeded $4.0 million dollars. These funds contributed to the regional economy through personnel 

salaries, purchase of equipment and supplies, travel, contracts, and educational. All of these transactions 

generate tax revenues for local, State and Federal governments. More importantly, the information 

gleaned from these studies is being used to advise managers on how best to apply manipulative actions on 

the ground, such as forest thinning prescriptions, use of fire, distributions of livestock, predator impacts 

on elk populations, fisheries management. 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Permanent Appropriations 12-37

Budget Line Item

Administration of Rights-of-Way and 

Other Land Uses

(dollars in thousands)

FY 2011 

Enacted

FY 2012 

Enacted

FY 2013 

President's 

Budget

Program 

Changes

Permanent Funds

Administration of Rights-of-Way and Other Land Uses*

New Budget Authority $7,956 $8,000 $8,000 0

Program Level 6,013 8,641 7,000 -$1,641

Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs) 52 45 45 0

New Budget Authority: Amounts equal actual or anticipated receipts for the fiscal year.

Program Level: Actual balance of obligations in FY 2010 and planned obligations for FY 2011 and FY 2012.

*FY 2013 levels represent the legislative proposal to extend this authority.

FY 2013 Program Changes

The FY 2013 President’s Budget includes a program level of $7,000,000 for the Administration of 

Rights-of-Way and Other Land Uses, a program decrease of $1,641,000 below FY 2012. Funds are used 

to process lands special uses proposals and applications in a timely manner, provide customer service and 

administer authorizations for which we have no other statutory authority to recover or retain funds for the 

use and occupancy of National Forest System (NFS) lands. We will continue to implement the Recovery 

of Cost pilot program to recover our costs for processing special use applications and monitoring the 

authorizations for compliance with the authorization. We will review progress to ensure consistent and 

cost-effective management, improve customer service, and reduce the backlog of permit applications. 

The 2013 President’s Budget proposes permanent authority for Administration of Rights-Of-Way and 

Land Uses. Permanent authority ensures timely customer service, reduces the potential liability to the 

United States associated with uses on National Forest System lands under an expired authorization, and 

enables us to accept new applications to expand our support for local and regional economies. 

Past Performance

During FY 2011 we recovered approximately $7.3 million dollars in costs involving the processing and 

monitoring of approximately 1,800 new land use authorizations. We currently have a backlog of 6,020 

authorizations. Permanent cost recovery will help ensure that we continue to make progress in 

administering authorizations. 

Authorities

Numerous Federal statutes authorize the Secretary of Agriculture to assess and collect fees from 

applicants for, and holders of special use authorizations. These fees pay for the agency’s administrative 

costs to process applications for, and monitor, such authorizations. These authorities include the 

Independent Offices Appropriations Act of 1952 (P.L. 82-137); Mineral Leasing Act of 1920, as amended 

(P.L. 66-146); and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (P.L. 94-579). In addition, 

specific legislation authorizing the implementation of each program within this account is as follows: 

Special Use Application and Permit Monitoring Fees (Recovery of Costs). P.L. 106-113, Interior 

and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2000, Section 331 (113 Stat. 1501A-196 - 197), as 

amended by P.L. 108-447, Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2005, Division E, Section 345 (118 

Stat. 3105), P.L. 109-54, Interior, Environment and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2006, 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Permanent Appropriations 12-38

Section 425 (119 Stat. 555) and P.L. 110-161 Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2008. This Act 

provides authority through September 30, 2012 to implement a pilot program to improve 

customer service to applicants and holders of special land use authorizations and reduce the 

agency’s backlog of expired authorizations. 

Commercial Filming (16 U.S.C. 460l-6d). The Act of May 26, 2000 (P. L. 106-206). This Act 

authorizes retention of fees collected for commercial filming and photography land use 

authorizations and obligation of the monies for maintenance of the filming site. Land use fees are 

based on a schedule to use and occupy NFS land for filming activities. This fee is separate from 

the cost recovery fee to process applications and monitor and the authorization for compliance 

with the commercial filming permit. All land use fees collected for commercial filming activities 

and costs recovered remain at the site where collected and are available until expended. 

Organizational Camp Fees. P.L. 108-7, Consolidated Appropriations Resolution, FY 2003, Title 

V, National Forest Organizational Camp Fee Improvement Act of 2003 (117 Stat. 294-297). This 

Act provides authority to establish a land use fee system for the occupancy and use of NFS lands 

by organizational camps that serve young people or individuals with a disability. 

Program Overview 

The Forest Service processes over 6,000 authorizations each year for the use and occupancy of NFS 

lands. In 2011, we administered nearly 78,000 authorizations for a wide variety of purposes, including 

energy-related uses, broadband and communication facilities and campground management. Processing 

and authorizing these uses is an important component to facilitating the development and transmission of 

affordable, reliable energy and communication services; supporting national security; supporting 

economic development; and promoting the public health and safety of populations within or in proximity 

to national forests throughout the nation. Work activities include: 

Evaluating proposals

Providing responses, analyses, and decisions to requests to occupy or use NFS lands

Processing authorizations

Performing oversight, inspection, and monitoring of existing authorizations to ensure compliance 

with the terms and conditions of the authorization

Programs included in this Fund are as follows:

Recovery of Costs for Processing Special Use Applications and Monitoring Fees: Fees collected 

from special uses are based on the agency’s actual cost to process applications and monitor 

compliance. All cost recovery fees collected are spent at the administrative unit(s) where the 

processing or monitoring work is being conducted. We recover costs consistently with the Bureau 

of Land Management (BLM), particularly where projects occupy Federal lands managed by both 

agencies.

Commercial Filming Special Uses Land Rent: Eighty percent of land-use fees from still 

photography and commercial filming activities are used for managing these activities and 

streamlining issuance of authorizations. Ten percent is used to cover the unit’s cost of collecting 

these fees. The remaining 10 percent is used in developing policies and procedures for the

management of these activities, of which 5 percent is available to the regional forester and the 

other 5 percent to the Washington Office.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Permanent Appropriations 12-39

Organizational Camp Fees: Fees are based on a percentage of the agricultural land value, 

adjusted downward for services provided to disabled individuals and at-risk youth. Fees collected 

are available until expended for program administration, monitoring special use authorizations, 

interpretive programs, environmental analysis and restoration activities, and similar purposes. 

Allocation and Integration

Land use and recreation use fees supplement discretionary appropriations from the NFS – Landownership 

Management; Recreation, Heritage, and Wilderness; and other budget line items. These revenues are an 

integral part of sustaining the agency’s special-use program. Outputs associated with these programs are 

combined and reported under individual resource programs throughout Forest Service appropriated 

accounts.

Partnerships

We cooperate with many other Federal agencies, such as the Department of the Interior agencies – Bureau 

of Land Management, National Park Service, Fish & Wildlife Service; the Federal Energy Regulatory 

Commission; and the Army Corp of Engineers; interagency working groups; state, local, and tribal 

governments; and partners, such as the Western Utility Group and National Forest Recreation 

Association. Partnership opportunities provide an opportunity to streamline procedures in order to deliver 

consistent and clear direction.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Permanent Appropriations 12-40

Budget Line Item Payment Funds

(dollars in thousands)

FY 2011 

Enacted

FY 2012 

Enacted

FY 2013 

President's 

Budget

FY 2013 vs 

2012

Payment to States Funds

Payments and Transfers from the National Forest Fund

Payment to Minnesota

Funding $6,150 $6,150 $6,150 0

Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs) 0 0 0 0

Payments to States, Act of 1908

Funding 9,703 10,816 9,700 -1,116

Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs) 0 0 0 0

Payments to States, SRS Act of 2000, Title II

Funding 42,063 31,767 64,000 32,233

Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs) 176 90 100 10

(NFF Fund) Payments and Transfers from the National Forest Fund

Payments to States, SRS Act of 2000, Title I & III

Funding 68,679 71,174 44,670 -26,504

Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs) 0 0 0 0

Payments from Treasury

Payments to States, SRS Act of 2000, Title I & III

Funding 310,000 225,000 185,330 -39,670

Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs) 0 0 0 0

Payments from National Grasslands and Land Utilization Projects

Payments to Counties

Funding 14,654 15,000 15,000 0

Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs) 0 0 0 0

Payment to State Funds Funding $451,249 $359,907 $324,850 -$35,057

Payment to States Funds Full-Time Equivalent (FTEs) 176 90 100 10

SRS actual payment in FY 2012 for FY 2011 receipts is approximately $322 million

SRS proposed payment in FY 2013 for FY 2012 receipts is approximately $294 million. 

FY 2013 Program Changes 

Payment to Minnesota 

The FY 2013 President’s Budget contains the mandatory Payments to Minnesota of $6,150,000 as 

required by the authorizing legislation. This is the same amount as FY 2012.

Payment to States, 1908 Act

The Budget proposes $9,700,000 for Payments to States under the Act of 1908 (25 percent fund), a 

decrease of $1,116,000 from FY 2012. Payments under the 25 percent fund are made one year in arrears 

based on receipts and credits specified in the authorizing legislation.

Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000

The Budget assumes a five-year reauthorization of the Secure Rural Schools (SRS) Act starting in FY 

2012. The actual payment for FY 2012 is approximately $322 million. The FY 2013 budget proposes to 

continue these payments through mandatory appropriations supplemented by funds from Treasury. The 

FY 2013 payment is proposed for $294 million. Without reauthorization, the payment will be 

approximately $85,000,000. For more details, refer to the Payments to Communities chapter. 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Permanent Appropriations 12-41

Payment from National Grasslands and Land Utilization Projects

The FY 2013 President’s Budget proposes $15,000,000 in Payments to Counties based on receipts from 

activities on the national grasslands and from land utilization projects, which are paid as required by the 

authorizing legislation. This is the same amount as FY 2012. 

Authorities 

Payment to Minnesota 

The Thye-Blatnick Act of June 22, 1948, as amended (16 U.S.C. 577g), Payment for Additional Lands 

Acquired in Northern Minnesota.

Payments to States 

Payments to States, Act of 1908. The Act of May 23, 1908, as amended (16 U.S.C. 500 note), Payment for 

Receipts for Schools and Roads. This Act, commonly known as “the 25 percent fund” or “the Act of 

1908,” authorizes annual payments on a seven-year rolling average basis to States equal to 25 percent of

revenues from the sale of goods and services by the national forests. States shall use these payments for 

schools and/or roads projects. The Act was amended on October 3, 2008 in P.L. 110-343, Division C, 

Title VI.

Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000 (16 U.S.C. 500 note). This Act, 

originally authorized through FY 2006 as P.L. 106-393, provides choices to counties to either receive a 

guaranteed level of annual payments for roads and schools and other authorized purposes, as well as 

funding for specific resource improvement projects on the national forest where the county is located, or 

to receive payments under the Act of May 23, 1908. The Act was reauthorized through FY 2011 on 

October 3, 2008 in P.L. 110-343, Division C, Title VI. Currently, funds not obligated by September 30, 

2012 will be returned to the Treasury. Through this Budget Justification (Appropriation Language 

Changes section), the Forest Service is asking for an extension of this authority to make payments 

through 2016. Please, refer to the Payments to Communities section for more details. 

Payments to Counties – National Grasslands Fund 

Title III of the Bankhead-Jones Farm Tenant Act of July 22, 1937, as amended (7 U.S.C. 1012). This Act 

authorizes annual payments on a calendar year basis to counties, equal to 25 percent of net revenues 

received during the year (excluding receipts from the sale of land). Counties shall use these payments for 

schools and/or roads projects. This Act pertains primarily to national grasslands and land utilization 

projects.

Program Overview

Payment to Minnesota

The Secretary of Agriculture was directed to acquire resorts, cabins, and private lands within the 

Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness and permanent residents were prohibited after 1974.

Additionally, in-lieu-of-tax payments were authorized to Cook, Lake, and St. Louis Counties for Federal 

wilderness land from any national forest receipts not otherwise appropriated. At the close of each fiscal 

year, the State of Minnesota is paid three-fourths of 1 percent of the appraised value of certain Superior 

National Forest lands in the counties of St. Louis, Cook, and Lake for distribution to those counties. The 

land value is reappraised every 10 years. New appraisals were done in 2008.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Permanent Appropriations 12-42

Payments to States 

Counties that opt to not receive payments under the Secure Rural Schools and Community SelfDetermination Act of 2000 as reauthorized do receive, with few exceptions, 25 percent of all moneys 

collected from the national forests and grasslands in which the counties are located, under the Act of 

1908. These payments benefit public schools and roads in the county or counties containing national 

forests and grasslands. P.L. 110-343 amended the Act of 1908 which, among other things, changed the 

payment formula. Instead of being based on each year’s receipts, payments to the States are now based on 

a rolling seven-year average of receipts (16 U.S.C. 500 note).

Counties electing to receive their share of a State’s “full payment amount” under the Secure Rural 

Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000, as amended by P.L. 110-343, receive payments 

under a formula based on several factors, including acreage of Federal land, previous payments, and per 

capita personal income. 

Payments to Counties – National Grasslands Fund 

Annual payments are authorized to counties which contain Forest Service lands that were acquired under 

the Bankhead-Jones Act. Twenty-five percent of the revenues received during the year (excluding receipts 

from the sale of land) from each national grassland or land utilization project are paid to the counties in 

which such lands are located. The funds are restricted to uses that benefit public schools and roads.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Trust Funds 13-1

Budget Line Item Trust Funds

(dollars in thousands)

FY 2011 

Enacted

FY 2012 

Enacted

FY 2013 

President's 

Budget

Program 

Changes

Trust Funds

Cooperative Work, Knutson-Vandenberg

New Budget Authority $54,373 $37,000 $37,000 0

Program Level 51,221 54,000 64,000 $10,000

Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs) 371 460 460 0

Cooperative Work, Knutson-Vandenberg Regional Work

New Budget Authority 0 0 0 0

Program Level 15,034 15,000 15,000 0

Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs) 146 125 125 0

Cooperative Work, Forest Service

New Budget Authority 65,932 65,000 65,000 0

Program Level 38,023 58,100 58,100 0

Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs) 236 235 235 0

Land Between the Lakes Trust Fund

New Budget Authority 7 10 10 0

Program Level 15 15 15 0

Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs) 0 0 0 0

Reforestation Trust Fund

New Budget Authority 30,000 30,000 30,000 0

Program Level 30,342 30,000 30,000 0

Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs) 211 200 200 0

Trust Funds New Budget Authority 150,312 132,010 132,010 0

Trust Funds Program Level 134,635 157,115 167,115 10,000

Trust Funds Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs) 964 1,020 1,020 0

Cooperative Work includes both receipts and reimbursable collections

New Budget Authority: Amounts equal actual or anticipated receipts for the fiscal year.

Program Level: Actual balance of obligations in FY 2011 and planned obligations for FY 2012 and FY 2013.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Trust Funds 13-2

Budget Line Item

Cooperative Work Trust Fund

Knutson-Vandenberg Fund

(dollars in thousands)

FY 2011 

Enacted

FY 2012 

Enacted

FY 2013 

President's 

Budget

Program 

Changes

Trust Funds

Cooperative Work, Knutson-Vandenberg

New Budget Authority $54,373 $37,000 $37,000 0

Program Level 51,221 54,000 64,000 $10,000

Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs) 371 460 460 0

Cooperative Work, Knutson-Vandenberg Regional Work

New Budget Authority 0 0 0 0

Program Level 15,034 15,000 15,000 0

Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs) 146 125 125 0

Cooperative Work, Forest Service

New Budget Authority 65,932 65,000 65,000 0

Program Level 38,023 58,100 58,100 0

Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs) 236 235 235 0

New Budget Authority: Amounts equal actual or anticipated receipts for the fiscal year.

Program Level: Actual balance of obligations in FY 2010 and planned obligations for FY 2011 and FY 2012.

FY 2009 

Actual

FY 2010 

Actual

FY 2011 

Target

FY 2011 

Actual

FY 2012 

Target

FY 2013 

Target

Knutson-Vandenberg

Acres of forest vegetation established 50,622 51,950 55,700 45,304 56,000 53,000

Acres of forest vegetation improved 33,662 23,530 49,250 24,932 38,130 27,000

Highest priority acres treated annually for 

noxious weeds and invasive plants on NFS lands 13,234 12,502 37,700 11,268 30,500 29,800

Acres of lake habitat restored or enhanced with 

non-Wildlife funds 1,183 136 180 6 240 300

Miles of stream habitat restored or enhanced 2 3 4 5 2 1 0 2 0

Acres of wildlife habitat (terrestrial) (TES and 

Non-TES) restored or improved with nonWildlife dollars 87,997 102,819 195,000 67,103 187,800 200,000

Miles of roads decommissioned 6 6 2 4 0 1 0 0 0

Miles of high clearance system roads improved 4 0 0 1 0 0 0

Miles of passenger car system roads improved 2 0 0 0 0 0

Number of stream crossings constructed or 

reconstructed to provide for aquatic organism 

passage 1 0 0 0 0 0

Acres of hazardous fuels treated to reduce risk of 

catastrophic fire 71,538 121,226 30,000 85,316 30,000 36,000

Acres of rangeland vegetation improved 508 2,941 1,300 1,077 780 1,000

Acres of watershed improvement 3,205 2,437 8,290 6,677 4,750 7,200
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Trust Funds 13-3

FY 2009 

Actual

FY 2010 

Actual

FY 2011 

Target

FY 2011 

Actual

FY 2012 

Target

FY 2013 

Target

Knutson-Vandenberg Regional Work

Acres of forest vegetation established 9 9 10,276 0 2 0 2,500 2,500

Acres of forest vegetation improved 1,441 1,513 0 867 0 0

Forestlands treated to achieve healthier 

conditions 16,527 14,695 0 12,943 0 0

Volume of timber sold (hundred cubic feet 

(CCF)) 183,920 222,369 314,000 178,824 240,000 240,000

Volume of timber sold (million board feet 

(MMBF)) 9 2 119 150 8 9 120 120

Miles of landownership boundary line 

marked/maintained to standard 1 7 1 7 0 0 0 0

Miles of road maintenance 5 1 0 0 0 0 0

Acres of hazardous fuels treated to reduce risk of 

catastrophic fire 2,187 3,495 0 924 0 0

Acres of wildland-urban interface (WUI) highpriority hazardous fuels treated 9 1 1,059 0 851 0 0

Highest priority acres treated annually for 

noxious weeds and invasive plants on NFS lands 1,679 469 0 841 0 0

Acres of rangeland vegetation improved 103 0 0 0 0 0

Acres of watershed improvement 0 0 0 0 0 0

Acres of lake habitat restored or enhanced with 

non-Wildlife funds 0 0 0 0 0 0

Miles of stream habitat restored or enhanced Acres of wildlife habitat (terrestrial) (TES and 0 0 0 0 0 0

Non-TES) restored or improved with nonWildlife dollars 147 0 0 0 0 0

FY 2013 Program Changes

The FY 2013 President’s Budget includes a program level of $64,000,000 in the Knutson-Vandenberg 

(K-V) program, an increase of $10,000,000 from FY 2012. Funds are used to conduct sale area 

improvement work on timber sale areas on the national forests. Funds also are used within timber sale 

areas to implement reforestation following timber harvest as well as other sale area improvements 

approved in the related environmental analyses. The request fully funds the required sale area 

improvement work planned for accomplishment in FY 2013. 

As in FY 2012, $15,000,000 of the K-V program will be used for the K-V Regional Work program. This 

funding will reforest 2,500 acres. This work will also provide for vegetative treatments to meet forest 

health and resource restoration objectives. An estimated outcome from these vegetation treatments is 

240,000 CCF (120 MMBF) of timber volume sold. The volume outcome from this fund is also accounted 

for in the target for timber volume sold displayed in the Integrated Resource Restoration budget line item 

in FY 2012 and FY 2013. 

Past Performance

Completion of K-V timber sale area projects is dependent upon the rate at which timber harvest units are 

harvested and accepted as completed. Factors include weather conditions that can slow down the rate of 

timber harvest and decisions made by the timber sale purchaser regarding which units are harvested in a 

given operating season. 

In FY 2011, for the K-V Regional Work program, the agency treated 12,943 high priority acres to meet 

forest health objectives even though the planned level was zero. The agency sold approximately 178,824 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Trust Funds 13-4

CCF (89 MMBF) of timber as a result of these treatments, or 57 percent of the projected level. Volume 

outcomes are highly variable depending on the treatment necessary to meet forest health objectives.

Authorities

The Act of June 9, 1930, (16 USC 576b) (P.L. 71-319, Ch. 416, June 9, 1930, 46 Stat. 527, as amended 

by P.L. 94-588, 1976, and P.L. 109-54, [title IV, Sec. 412], Aug. 2, 2005, 119 Stat. 551). The Act, known 

as the Knutson-Vandenberg Act, established a special fund to collect a portion of timber sale receipts to 

pay for reforesting the area from which the timber was cut. The Act was amended in 1976 to allow the 

Forest Service to use these funds for other sale area improvement activities. The FY 2006 Interior 

Appropriations Act amended this authority to allow for the expenditure of unused funds, not needed to 

accomplish work on the sale area, on other areas “...within the Forest Service region in which the timber 

sale occurred.” 

Program Overview

The following programs are included in this fund:

Knutson-Vandenberg: This program uses funds derived from timber sale revenues which are 

used for sale area improvement work within the timber sale area. Planned resource project work 

is documented in the sale area improvement plans and as determined by the project environmental 

analysis. The first priority for K-V program funds is reforestation of harvested areas. These funds 

can also be used to perform timber stand improvement and protection, and projects for the 

improvement of other resource values, including wildlife, soil, watershed, range, and recreation. 

Knutson-Vandenberg Regional Work: The FY 2006 Interior Appropriations Act expanded the 

authority to allow for the expenditure of unused funds, not needed to accomplish work on the 

timber sale area, on another area “...within the Forest Service region in which the timber sale 

occurred.” Unused collections are generated when actual costs are less than planned costs. This 

authority is used to accomplish watershed restoration; wildlife habitat improvement; control of 

insect, disease, and noxious weeds; community protection activities; and the maintenance of 

forest roads. The work can be performed through the use of contracts, forest product sales, and 

cooperative agreements. If forest product sales are used to accomplish these objectives, K-V 

Regional Work program funds may be utilized for timber sale planning, preparation, 

administration, engineering support, and land line location.

Allocation and Integration

The Knutson-Vandenberg program funding is allocated to the regions based upon cash collected on 

timber sale areas and the planned resource projects identified on approved sale area improvement plans. 

The Knutson-Vandenberg Regional Work program funds are allocated based upon cash availability, 

which reflects the unreimbursed emergency wildfire suppression transfers, and where additional funding 

would effectively achieve the purposes of the authority. 

Partnerships

The K-V program has contributed to partnerships and productive working relationships with State fish 

and game agencies and organizations such as the Wild Turkey Federation, Quail Unlimited, and the 

Ruffed Grouse Society. These productive relationships and partnerships are critical in the identification 

and planning of some K-V funded projects. 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Trust Funds 13-5

Budget Line Item Cooperative Work Trust Fund - Other

(dollars in thousands)

FY 2011 

Enacted

FY 2012 

Enacted

FY 2013 

President's 

Budget

Program 

Changes

Trust Funds

Cooperative Work, Other

New Budget Authority $65,932 $65,000 $65,000 0

Program Level 38,023 58,100 58,100 0

Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs) 236 235 235 0

FY 2013 Program Changes

The FY 2013 President’s Budget includes a program level of $58,100,000 for the Cooperative Work Trust 

Fund Other, the same as FY 2012. This level is consistent with anticipated collections from partners and 

cooperators. The collections allow the agency to leverage appropriated funds in order to deliver a variety 

of treatments and services which benefit Forest Service lands and other resource programs. 

Cooperative projects vary in size and scope each year depending on partner interest, objectives, and 

financial resources, and meet both agency and partner needs. Each agreement specifies the type of work 

to be done as well as the funds being donated. 

Authorities

The Act of June 30, 1914 (16 U.S.C. 498). This Act authorizes the acceptance of contributions for 

cooperative work in forest investigations, protection, management, and improvement of the National 

Forest System.

The Granger-Thye Act of April 24, 1950 (16 U.S.C. 572). This Act authorizes cooperation with other 

parties to perform work for permittees, agencies, organizations, and persons for the kinds of work that the 

Forest Service is authorized to do on lands of the United States.

The Roads and Trails Act of October 13, 1964 (16 U.S.C. 532-537). This Act authorizes the construction 

of roads using cooperative financing from other agencies.

The Act of June 30, 1978 (16 U.S.C. 1643). This Act authorizes the acceptance and use of donated funds 

for research activities.

The Act of October 10, 1978 (7 U.S.C. 2269). This Act authorizes agencies within the U.S. Department 

of Agriculture to accept donations for non-research activities.

The Act of June 6, 1968 (16 U.S.C. 693d). This Act authorizes cooperation in the operation of the Robert 

S. Kerr Memorial Arboretum and Nature Center.

The Act of July 4, 1968 (16 U.S.C. 471h). This Act authorizes cooperation in the operation of the Cradle 

of Forestry.

Title 31, United States Code, section 1321 (31 U.S.C. 1321). Section 1321 of Title 31 of the United States 

Code authorizes Trust Funds.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Trust Funds 13-6

Program Overview

The Cooperative Work Trust Fund Other program is used to collect deposits received from partners and 

cooperators for protecting and improving resources of the National Forest System as authorized by 

cooperative agreements. The deposits are for a wide variety of activities that benefit and support programs 

in Forest and Rangeland Research, on National Forest System lands, and for other agency activities. 

The variety of activities performed using funds include:

Wildlife habitat enhancement

Recreation program activities 

Research 

Fire protection , prevention and education 

Construction

Reconstruction, and maintenance of roads, trails, and other improvements 

Scaling services 

Other resource purposes as authorized by law

Cooperative deposits are received from a vast assortment of local, regional, and national organizations 

and individuals; State and other public agencies; industrial associations; and other private sources. The 

deposits are made under a variety of cooperative instruments that specify the mutual benefits of the work. 

Cooperative deposits leverage appropriated funds to increase effectiveness and complement the objectives 

of Forest Service appropriated resource management programs and cooperative research projects. These 

programs and projects may involve any aspect of forestry and vary widely in scope and duration. Refer to 

the Special Exhibit titled Partnerships (Challenge-Cost Share Program & Accomplishments) for 

additional information on cooperative activities using Challenge Cost Share agreements.

Cooperative road maintenance deposits can be made by commercial users of the National Forest Road 

System in lieu of actually performing their commensurate share of road maintenance. These deposits are 

used in conjunction with the other road maintenance appropriations to provide maintenance of system 

roads by the Forest Service. 

Deposits for administering and protecting non-Federal land within or near the national forests can be 

made by owners of non-Federal lands that are intermingled with, or adjacent to, National Forest System 

lands. These deposits help landowners manage their lands in accordance with good forest management 

practices and provide for wildfire protection on State and private lands intermingled with Federal 

ownership.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Trust Funds 13-7

Budget Line Item Land Between the Lakes Trust Fund

(dollars in thousands)

FY 2011 

Enacted

FY 2012 

Enacted

FY 2013 

President's 

Budget

Program 

Changes

Trust Funds

Land Between the Lakes Trust Fund

New Budget Authority $7 $10 $10 0

Program Level 15 15 15 0

Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs) 0 0 0 0

FY 2013 Program Changes

The FY 2013 President’s Budget includes a program level of $15,000, the same level as FY 2012. Funds 

provide for public education and regional promotion in cooperation with development districts, chambers 

of commerce, and State and local governments. Land Between The Lakes (LBL) will continue to use 

funds to cover additional anticipated program elements of the Respect the Resource environmental 

education program. LBL is working to increase teacher recruitment, especially newer teachers, by 

showing teachers the programs offered as well as helping them to cultivate skills that can be used in the 

classrooms upon their return to their schools. In anticipation of the upcoming 50th anniversary of LBL in 

June 2013, planning efforts are beginning as an opportunity to promote the LBL Area. 

Past Performance

In FY 2011, the LBL Trust Fund continued its support of a successful school grant program for 

environmental education by awarding grants to 28 schools, and serving more than 2,000 students. The 

Fund continued to support the recycling campaign tied to LBL’s Respect the Resource program, utilizing 

displays and interpretive signage to educate LBL staff and visitors to facilities. The campaign also 

assisted with education about water use and plastics. 

Authority

Land Between the Lakes Protection Act of 1998 (16 U.S.C. 460lll-31) (P.L. 105-277, div. A, Sec. 101(e) 

[title V, Sec. 531], Oct. 21, 1998, 112 Stat. 2681-317). This Act establishes the LBL Trust Fund. In 

accordance with Title V of the Act, responsibility for the LBL National Recreation Area transferred from 

the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) to the Secretary of Agriculture.

Program Overview

The LBL Protection Act called for LBL, an area in western Kentucky and Tennessee, to be managed as a 

unit of the National Forest System. Section 531 of the Act established a special interest-bearing fund 

known as the LBL Trust Fund, to be available for public education, grants, and internships related to 

recreation, conservation, and multiple-use land management; and regional promotion in cooperation with 

development districts, chambers of commerce, and State and local governments. 

In accordance with the terms described in the Act, beginning September 30, 2000, TVA began depositing 

$1 million annually into the fund for five consecutive years, for a total of $5 million. The Forest Service 

has allowed the principal balance to grow and much of the interest to compound, and LBL has now begun 

to use the interest earned on the fund for the purposes intended by Congress.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Trust Funds 13-8

Budget Line Item Reforestation Trust Fund

(dollars in thousands)

FY 2011 

Enacted

FY 2012 

Enacted

FY 2013 

President's 

Budget

Program 

Changes

Trust Funds

Reforestation Trust Fund

New Budget Authority $30,000 $30,000 $30,000 0

Program Level 30,342 30,000 30,000 0

Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs) 211 200 200 0

FY 2009 

Actual

FY 2010 

Actual

FY 2011 

Target

FY 2011 

Actual

FY 2012 

Target

FY 2013 

Target

Reforestation Trust Fund

Acres of forest vegetation established 56,567 91,928 50,300 69,795 65,000 66,810

Acres of forest vegetation improved 33,841 31,548 17,000 28,893 32,320 32,322

FY 2013 Program Changes

The budget includes a program level of $30,000,000, the same as FY 2012. Funds are used to analyze, 

prepare, and implement reforestation and forest vegetation improvement projects outside timber sale areas 

on National Forest System lands. The request will fund 66,810 acres of reforestation and 32,322 acres of 

forest vegetation improvement. The FY 2013 program continues to prioritize reforestation treatments 

arising from unplanned disturbance events such as wildfires, insects, and diseases. In such places, timely 

reforestation is required to meet specified land management objectives. High priority is also given to 

reforestation treatments on lands where appropriated or Cooperative Work Knutson-Vandenberg 

(CWKV) funds are not available. Financing reforestation in these places ensures suitable lands are 

reforested within five years of harvest, as specified by the National Forest Management Act (NFMA).

Past Performance

In FY 2011, this program allowed the agency to accomplish 69,795 acres of reforestation and 28,893 

acres of timber stand improvement. These accomplishments were 19,495 acres (139 percent) and 11,893 

acres (170 percent), respectively, above projected targets. A significant component of the reforestation 

accomplishment in FY 2011, 38,735 acres, was certification of natural regeneration without site 

preparation. The certification process is accomplished at lower unit cost than any other reforestation or 

timber stand improvement activities. This allows for implementation of timber stand improvement 

treatments, such as precommercial thinning on high–priority areas to meet forest health, future stand 

development, and critical hazardous fuel reductions, while exceeding reforestation objectives associated 

with this fund.

Authority

Recreational Boating Safety and Facilities Act of 1980, Title III, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1606a(d)) P.L. 

96-451. 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Trust Funds 13-9

Program Overview

A maximum of $30,000,000 is transferred to the Reforestation Trust Fund by the U.S. Treasury each 

fiscal year to reduce the backlog in reforestation and timber stand improvement work. Reforestation 

activities include site preparation for planting or seeding of the appropriate tree species, site preparation to 

encourage natural regeneration, and certification of acres naturally regenerated without the need of site 

preparation. In addition, as part of the reforestation activity, various treatments are applied to improve 

initial seedling survival rates. Benefits of reforestation include restoration of forest vegetation on areas 

impacted by: wildfire, floods, and hurricanes; increased carbon sequestration capacity; establishment of 

forest vegetation resilient to the effects of climate change; and improved habitat diversity for many 

wildlife species. More detailed information on related activities is presented in the Reforestation Special 

Exhibit. 

Timber stand improvement activities include release treatments through removal of competing vegetation; 

precommercial thinning to regulate stand density, composition and structure; pruning treatments that 

reduce ladder fuels, reducing the effects of pathogens (ex. white pine blister rust), and improving future 

wood product quality; and fertilization treatments to maintain and improve soil productivity and enhance 

rapid stand development to capture carbon storage capacity. Benefits of timber stand improvement 

include improved forest health and productivity; hazardous fuel reductions; improved forest resiliency to 

the impacts of drought, insects and disease; and diversified wildlife habitat. In addition, timber stand 

improvement generates woody biomass that is available to meet renewable energy needs.

Allocation and Integration

Funds are allocated based on reported acres of reforestation or timber stand improvement need, which

include reforestation needs created by wildfires and other natural events, during the previous three years, 

and prior year accomplishments. Allocation decisions consider the combined accomplishment from the 

Integrated Resource Restoration program and the Reforestation Trust Fund program. These funds are 

used in conjunction with other vegetation management funds to provide an integrated, effective means of 

accomplishing forest vegetation establishment, maintenance, or improvement of forest health conditions 

under a variety of ecological and biological settings. 

Partnerships

Partnerships in reforestation are critical for program accomplishments. Several key reforestation partners 

are American Forests, The National Forest Foundation, the Arbor Day Foundation, the National Garden 

Clubs, Batesville Casket Company, and individual donations under the Plant-A-Tree program. 

Combined, these partners enable the accomplishment of about 20,000 acres of planting during the past 

five years. 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Trust Funds 13-10

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FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Special Exhibits 14 - 1

Special Exhibits

Contents

Bark Beetle Infestation in the West ...........................................................................................................................3

Biomass and Bioenergy .............................................................................................................................................7

Centralized Business Services.................................................................................................................................11

Chief’s Reserve Fund ..............................................................................................................................................17

Conservation Education...........................................................................................................................................19

Cost Pool (both Direct and Indirect) Totals.............................................................................................................23

Deferred Maintenance and Asset Management .......................................................................................................31

Gaining Efficiencies and Cost Control Measures....................................................................................................35

Facilities Maintenance Assessment .........................................................................................................................43

Fire Transfers...........................................................................................................................................................47

Knutson-Vandenberg (K-V) Financial Status..........................................................................................................49

National Scenic and Historic Trails.........................................................................................................................51

Office of General Counsel Reimbursement.............................................................................................................59

Office of Tribal Relations........................................................................................................................................61

Partnerships .............................................................................................................................................................63

Reforestation............................................................................................................................................................69

Region, Station and Area Allocations FY 2009 - 2011 ...........................................................................................73

Research and Development Threat Assessment Centers.........................................................................................85

Service First.............................................................................................................................................................91

Stewardship Contracting..........................................................................................................................................93

Strengthening Service Initiative.............................................................................................................................101

Sustainable Operations ..........................................................................................................................................103

Unobligated Balances............................................................................................................................................105

USDA Working Capital Fund and Greenbook Charges........................................................................................107

Wood Education and Resource Center ..................................................................................................................121

Working Capital Fund – Forest Service ................................................................................................................125

Working Capital Fund – Forest Service Fleet Management..................................................................................127
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

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FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Special Exhibits 14 - 3

Bark Beetle Infestation in the West

Overview

The unprecedented bark beetle epidemic across six states of the interior west is growing at an estimated 

600,000 acres per year with the potential to affect the majority of our western pine, fir and spruce forests, 

posing serious environmental impacts. For the period 2000-2010, a total of 43,195,000 acres in the west 

had trees infested with bark beetles, a total of 31,862,000 of these acres are National Forest System 

lands.1 Currently, an estimated 100,000 beetle-killed trees fall daily, posing a serious health and safety 

threat to forest visitors, residents and employees. 

On July 11, 2011, the Forest Service released the five-year Western Bark Beetle Strategy2, which 

identified how the Forest Service was going to respond to the western bark beetle epidemic. The strategy 

focuses on the future and the continued need to integrate and prioritize response around three goals: 

human safety, forest recovery, and long-term forest resiliency.

Agency Priorities and Actions

The Forest Service cannot treat every forest acre or mile of road that needs attention. Protecting human 

health and safety is the Forest Service priority. The decision to remove trees to mitigate the effects of the 

western bark beetle takes into consideration both the health and safety of the public, as well as that of 

Forest Service employees. Priorities include: treatment near roads, trails and campgrounds that 

experience high public use; treatment in areas adjacent to communities and homes for protection from 

fire; and coordination of larger-scale projects with other governmental agencies and partners that identify 

and communicate risks to public safety and leverage treatments across boundaries. Additional priorities 

include recovery and forest resiliency. Effective recovery improves watershed health, wildlife habitat and 

water quality and creates more resilient forests following infestation, as well as provides benefits above 

and beyond what would be expected if nature was allowed to take its course. Active forest management 

can increase the resiliency of forests not yet infested by bark beetles. Thinning young stands to decrease 

basal area and creating a diversity of age classes over time can mitigate potential catastrophic beetle 

losses. Species and age diversity are key elements of a forest‘s resiliency to insects, diseases and wildfire. 

Managing for resiliency can reduce the environmental, health and safety impacts of beetle infestation.

Research and Development

The Forest Service is investing in knowledge and management tools needed to guide the above priorities. 

Research efforts will provide better strategies for mitigating tree hazards to people and community 

infrastructure; improve the ability of fuel and fire behavior models to map fire hazards due to bark 

beetles; explore pest management treatments for beetle control; and improve our understanding of the 

effects of increased vegetation diversity, thinning and disturbance agents on the population dynamics of 

various bark beetle species.

 

1 These are footprint acres meaning that if an acre has newly infested trees for multiple years in this time frame, 

they are only counted once.

2 Western Bark Beetle Strategy is available at http://www.fs.fed.us/publications/bark-beetle/bark-beetle-strategy-appendices.pdf
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Special Exhibits 14 - 4

Tracking Performance

The Forest Service is tracking activities related to bark beetle recovery using existing performance and 

output measures. These include hazardous fuels acres treated, road and trail hazard acres mitigated, and 

recreation site hazards mitigated. 

FY 2011 Funding and Accomplishments

In FY 2011, the Forest Service invested $105.8 million on bark beetle mitigation activities in Regions 1-

6, as well as development of research tools at the Rocky Mountain, Pacific Northwest, and Pacific 

Southwest Research Stations. Specific mitigation activities were funded under various programs 

including Recreation, Roads, Trails, Forest Health Management, Hazardous Fuels, Facilities 

Maintenance, Forest Products, Vegetation and Watershed Management, and Salvage Sale Fund. 

Unified FY 2011 Accomplishments

Performance Safety Recovery Resilience Total

Treated area (acres) 16,822 50,145 236,962 303,929

Volume sold (CCF) 101,101 59,476 415,104 575,681

Bio-energy production (green tons) 28,927 2,256 122,618 153,801

Road maintenance (Miles) 980 0 0 981

Trail maintenance (Miles) 1,072 203 109 1,384

In addition, a total of 22 research tools were developed. Examples of these tools include:

Models correlating moisture content of beetle-killed foliage and susceptibility to crown fire

First ever detailed images of the structure the southern pine beetle uses to carry the fungi that 

helps kill trees

Identification of novel fungal genotypes that drive the success of an invasive bark beetle/fungus 

complex

FY 2012 and FY 2013 Funding

The Forest Service will invest annually $101.4 million in FY 2012 and FY 2013. In FY 2012, the target is 

to treat 373,812 acres, while in FY 2013 a similar number of acres will be treated. The Western Bark 

Beetle Strategy includes reference to a target funding level projected through 2016, assuming 

appropriations in the out years remain equal to the FY 2010 level. Planned and actual expenditures may 

vary, however, with changes in the appropriations. In FY 2012 specific mitigation activities will be 

funded by the same group of programs that funded these activities in FY 2011, and also by the Agency‘s 

Integrated Resource Restoration (IRR) pilot program, which includes Regions 1, 3, and 4. In FY 2013 

specific mitigation activities will be funded by the same group of programs that funded these activities in 

FY 2011, and by the national IRR program proposed for FY 2013.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Special Exhibits 14 - 5

Projected Bark Beetle Related Investments (dollars in millions)

Region FY 2012* 

Estimate

FY 2013 

Estimate

Northern Region (R1) $24.0 $24.0

Rocky Mountain Region (R2) 33.0 33.0

Southwestern Region (R3) 2.8 2.7

Intermountain Region (R4) 9.0 9.0

Pacific Southwest Region (R5) 18.4 18.4

Pacific Northwest Region (R6) 11.9 11.9

Research and Development 2.4 2.4

Total $101.4 $101.4

*FY 2012 funding is an estimate based on an equivalent level of funding for FY 

2011.

Priority beetle-related work in FY 2012 and FY 2013 will continue to promote human safety, forest 

recovery, and ecological resilience as well as research and development. We will coordinate work with 

our partners, and will continue to maximize appropriated dollars to mitigate negative impacts from these 

unprecedented outbreaks. 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Special Exhibits 14 - 6

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FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Special Exhibits 14 - 7

Biomass and Bioenergy

Overview

Our Nation‘s forests are a strategic asset that can help achieve and enhance U.S. energy security, 

economic opportunity, environmental quality, and global competitiveness by providing raw material for 

the renewable bioenergy and biobased products sector. This sector is a growing source of green jobs in 

the U.S. economy that contributes to energy security and greenhouse gas emissions reduction. Woody 

biomass is a critical renewable resource and, through commercially available technology, can produce 

thermal and electrical energy. With additional research, it could also provide liquid/gaseous bioenergy 

and bioproducts to offset the use of fossil fuels. Biomass removals for energy and biobased products 

provide numerous benefits including improved forest health and productivity as well as economic 

opportunities. Sustainable development of a healthy bioenergy/biobased products sector is dependent on 

rapid research and development. 

Creating demand for forest biomass results in new revenue opportunities and also reduces fire risk to 

communities, restores healthy forested landscapes, and can provide new income streams for forest 

landowners. Figure 1 shows Forest Service funding for Biomass and Bioenergy programs by budget line.

Forest Service Funding for Biomass and Bioenergy (dollars in thousands)

Program Budget Item FY 2011 FY 2012 FY 2013

Woody Biomass 

Utilization

Hazardous Fuels 

(admin by FPL)

$5,000 $5,000 $5,000

Community Wood to 

Energy

Hazardous Fuels --- --- 3,000

IRR --- --- 1,250

Forest Biomass to 

Energy

Hazardous Fuels --- --- 10,000

Biomass Production Forest Products 5,000

5,000

---

IRR --- 6,000*

Bioenergy & Biobased 

Products Research

R&D 12,950 12,950 12,950

Total $22,950 $22,950 $38,200

* This includes $5 million for biomass funding toward producing the national target of 2.7MM green tons of 

biomass, as in FY 2012, and an additional $1 million to continue the woody biomass utilization feedstock supply 

study.

FY 2013 Program 

Forest Service biomass and bioenergy programs encourage market development for woody biomass and 

also provide high quality data to inform business decisions. In FY 2013 we will work to develop 

sustainable management and utilization options, systems, and practices to effectively integrate biomass 

production into forest management activities. This includes: (1) developing and implementing best 

management practices for sustainable expanded biomass removal; (2) researching new woody crops 

varieties that are fast-growing, stress-resistant, and resource-use efficient; (3) developing and 

disseminating the best science and technology for short rotation woody cropping systems or ―purpose-
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Special Exhibits 14 - 8

grown wood‖; (4) improving harvest, collection, handling, and transportation systems for woody biomass;

(5) developing and implementing strategies to integrate trees for biomass uses into agricultural landscapes 

to provide ecosystem services and income.

Woody Biomass Utilization Grant Program ($5,000,000)

Grants encourage the use of woody biomass removed from forest restoration activities such as 

wildfire hazardous fuels treatments, insect and disease mitigation, forest management due to 

catastrophic weather events, and/or thinning overstocked stands. Woody biomass shall be used in 

a facility that uses commercially proven technologies to produce thermal, electrical, or 

liquid/gaseous bioenergy. Grant funds will further the planning of such facilities by funding the 

engineering services necessary for final design and cost analysis. Grant amounts are up to 

$250,000. 

Community Wood to Energy ($4,250,000)

The development of markets for wood residues from forest management is critical.Using wood 

for energy is an economical way to offset the use of fuel oil, propane, and electric resistance heat. 

Developing these markets requires outreach and information dissemination, technical assistance 

and financial assistance in partnership with the private sector to get pre-construction work 

accomplished. 

Communities and businesses need support to reach the decision to convert wood for energy. The 

combination of $3 million from Hazardous Fuels and $1.25 million from Integrated Restoration 

in the FY 2013 request target this type of energy development. Grants provide State, Tribal, and 

local governments support in developing community wood energy plans. Competitive grants are 

also available to acquire community wood energy systems and/or technical assistance for public 

facilities that use woody biomass as the primary fuel.

Forest Biomass to Energy ($10,000,000)

We will continue to provide grants to businesses, tribes or communities that need assistance in 

procuring professional engineering and economic analysis for bioenergy projects using woody 

biomass. Priority research includes the use of low-value forest biomass for energy from forest 

health and hazardous fuels treatments; integrated production of energy from forest biomass into 

biorefineries or other existing manufacturing; development of new transportation fuels from 

forest biomass; and improved growth and yield of trees for renewable energy production. 

Biomass Production ($6,000,000) 

By expanding our capacity to provide a reliable and predictable supply of woody biomass from 

National Forest System lands we assist bioenergy projects conducted in coordination with other 

Federal and State agencies and tribes.

Bioenergy & Biobased Products Research ($12,950,000) 

We continuously strive to provide more accurate national and regional feedstock availability 

projections; models to assist in bioenergy facility site selection; sustainability criteria for forest 

bioenergy feedstocks; logistics and decision support tools to improve treatment, harvest and 

transport efficiency; integrated models of land use patterns and bioenergy markets; and life cycle 

analysis and assessment tools for forest bioenergy/bioproducts supply chains.

We will continue pursuing the development of wood-based biofuels, chemicals and products that 

can substitute for petroleum-based materials, including developing biomass deconstruction 

science and technology; conversion technologies for lignocellulosic liquid fuels and drop-in fuels; 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Special Exhibits 14 - 9

and science and technology for manufacturing chemicals and other co-products from biomass-toenergy conversion.

Accomplishments

The Forest Service has a long history of success in encouraging biomass utilization and research on 

bioenergy and biobased products. Since the 1970‘s, significant accomplishments have been made in 

harvesting, genetics, silviculture, and conversion processes related to energy. Selected accomplishments 

include:

In January 2011, the Forest Service completed the Forest Service Strategic Energy Framework 

which sets direction and proactive goals for the Agency to play a significant and long-term role in 

resolving challenges to our energy resources, on which our environment and quality of life 

depend. The Framework fosters the sustainable management and use of forest and grassland 

energy resources to contribute to national energy security, environmental quality, and economic 

opportunity. 

http://www.fs.fed.us/specialuses/documents/Signed_StrategicEnergy_Framework_01_14_11.doc

Forest Service R&D provided significant scientific expertise to the forest components of the FY 

2011 update to the 2005 Billion Ton Report, published by the US Department of Energy (DOE). 

This report provides an in-depth analysis on the technical feasibility of a billion ton annual supply 

of biomass capable of displacing 30% or more of the US petroleum consumption. 

(http://www1.eere.energy.gov/biomass/pdfs/billion_ton_update.pdf)

Participated in a successful multi-partner consortium conducting life cycle analysis of wood 

products and forest biomass-based energy and bioproducts. This information will help consumers 

and policy makers understand the environmental outcomes of alternative energy and product 

choices (http://www.corrim.org/)

Managed a bioenergy and biobased products competitive grants program targeted at sustainable 

practices, improved tech transfer and biofuels conversion technologies. Between FY 2007 and FY 

2011, 30 projects were funded for approximately $3.878 million, leveraging an additional $2.85 

million in external partner support. These funds have resulted in over 30 peer-reviewed 

publications, numerous presentations and technology transfer opportunities, and several theses 

and dissertations.

Continued collaboration with the Agricultural Research Service under an MOU to cooperate on 

research and development on sustainable feedstock production through the USDA Regional 

Biomass Research Centers. These are virtual centers with shared leadership.

Catchlight Energy LLC signed a technology transfer agreement with Forest Service R&D for 

biofuels conversion technology.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Special Exhibits 14 - 10

In FY 2011 awarded 17 biomass grant awards totaling approximately $3 million to small business 

and community groups in Alaska, California, Colorado, Idaho, Kentucky, Montana, New York, 

Oregon, Washington and Wisconsin. These grants are a component of the Forest Services‘ focus 

on bioenergy and biobased products that will result in secure, sustainable renewable energy 

sources and strong rural economies. Grant funding will help build capacity for woody biomass 

utilization in support of forest restoration activities. Woody biomass shall be used in a bioenergy 

facility that uses commercially proven technologies to produce thermal, electrical, or 

liquid/gaseous bioenergy. Grant funding will further the planning of such facilities by funding the 

engineering services necessary for final design and cost analysis that are critical to obtaining and 

leveraging funding.

Identified 20 Coordinated Resource Offering Protocol (CROP) study areas as sites capable of 

providing a sustainable woody biomass resource. These sites are now making biomass 

information available to potential investors. www.crop-usa.com

Partnerships

Forest Service R&D partners include Federal and State agencies, universities, industry, nongovernmental, 

and international organizations. The selected accomplishments noted above reflect a broad partnership 

base. R&D works collaboratively across organizational, political, and institutional boundaries to 

accomplish research and deliver the needed outcomes.

The Forest Service is integrating biomass utilization efforts with other Federal partners (DOI, DOE, EPA, 

DOD, DOC and USDA), including implementing FY 2008 Farm Bill authorities. The Agency also 

coordinates with communities, States and tribes. The Forest Service is working directly with DOE & 

GSA on new wood energy facilities that will pilot both thermal and combined heat wood-to-energy 

technologies. In addition, USDA and DOE are working collaboratively on advanced biofuels. 

The Forest Service is coordinating with USDA Rural Development (RD) and Rural Utilities Service 

(RUS) to improve technical services in project financing and power development. RD and RUS programs 

are designed to assist in biomass development through guaranteed loans, grant programs and project 

financing at the final stages of a project. 

Benefits

These Forest Service activities help to sustainably provide the quantities of wood needed for bioenergy 

and bioproducts, maintain and enhance forest health and productivity, reduce costs, and increase 

efficiency. Biomass utilization helps offset treatment costs, can offset fossil fuel use, and promotes 

sustainable economies. These activities and outcomes can reduce investor risk and significantly contribute 

to U.S. energy security, environmental, and economic goals. With active management, America‘s forests 

can sustainably supply woody biomass for fuels and high-value chemicals and help meet U.S. energy, 

environmental, and employment goals. 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Special Exhibits 14 - 11

Centralized Business Services

Overview

In 2003, the Forest Service began to centralize its business management programs through a series of 

business process reengineering efforts. The goals were to improve service, streamline business processes 

and modernize procedures, and to reduce costs in order to redirect funds to mission critical priorities. The 

following programs were centralized: 

Financial Management Improvement Project (FMIP), which standardized and centralized many 

of the Forest Service‘s Budget and Finance (B&F) processes

The Chief Information Office (CIO), which improved the quality and efficiency of the Agency‘s 

technology services

Human Resources Business Process Reengineering (HR BPR), which standardized and 

centralized Human Resources processes and included a new integrated department-wide Human 

Resources Information System (HRIS)

These program areas are under the leadership of the Deputy Chief of Business Operations. Although the 

program offices are headquartered in Albuquerque, New Mexico, many facets of the organizations are 

located virtually throughout the agency to provide for the most efficient services to field units. 

Budget and Finance

Budget and Finance standardized and centralized many of the agency‘s budget and finance processes. 

Migration of staff and duties to the Albuquerque Service Center (ASC) Budget & Finance was completed 

in FY 2006. The Budget and Finance organization at the Albuquerque Service Center functions as a 

service-wide center for the performance of finance and budget functions.

The ASC Budget and Finance Vision 

The ASC will be a professional, award-winning organization that will add value to the pursuit of the 

Forest Service mission by: 

Meeting and/or exceeding all financial compliance requirements and transaction processing 

commitments

Demonstrating its passion for providing excellent service to internal and external customers

Acting as a professional business partner to provide strategic advice and counsel to Forest Service 

management and employees

Creating a positive, challenging, and desirable work environment for ASC employees to grow 

and excel

Pursuing continuous improvement to realize cost-efficient operations

The major functional areas in Business Operations represented at the ASC Budget and Finance are: 

Claims, Payments & Travel: Includes Claims, Miscellaneous Payments, Integrated Acquisition 

Systems (IAS), Payments-Service Wide and Accounts Maintenance (SWAM), Payments-Grants 

and Agreements, Incident Finance and Travel.

Budget Execution and Customer Support: This functional area includes the Contact Center for 

ASC Budget & Finance customers, Technology Support and Program Support to the ASC Budget 

& Finance, and Performance Measurement.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Special Exhibits 14 - 12

Accounting Operations: Includes Property and Working Capital Fund (WCF), Timber Sale 

Accounting (TSA) and Collections, Reimbursable and Advance Collection Agreements (RACA), 

and Accounts Receivable.

Before centralization Forest Service financial management was considered ―High Risk‖ by GAO based 

upon an Independent Auditor‘s Report dated December 18, 2003. The FS received an unqualified 

opinion on their financial statements for the past 10 years and no material weaknesses for the last four 

years.

Before centralization Budget and Finance had a total of 1945 FTE with an annual cost of $139 million. 

After centralization total FTE are 888 with an annual cost of $88.5 million.

Budget and Finance

Current Process Improvement Efforts

Electronic Form - Forest Service Request for 

Reimbursement (form FS-6500-229) Process

Automation of multi-year agreement rollover

FMMI and Business Process Evaluations

Web based training for Collection 

Officers

Collection Officer Data Web Tool

Chief Financial Officer 

The Chief Financial Officer (CFO) is responsible for the financial leadership of Forest Service. The CFO 

is committed to achieving improved federal financial management through increased accountability and 

strengthened internal controls. The focus of the CFO is to support the agency's mission by providing 

timely, accurate, and reliable financial and program performance information in compliance with the 

Chief Financial Officers Act of 1990. 

The CFO‘s vision is to create an environment that enhances the use of integrated financial and 

performance information in decision-making through application of effective internal controls in agency 

management processes. We are committed to delivering services that transform complex information into 

practical knowledge for Forest Service as well as the American public.

The office of the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) for the Forest Service is composed of four functional 

areas. The responsibility of each CFO area is briefly detailed below: 

Financial Management Systems Branch: Maintains an integrated financial accounting system, 

including systems for cash management, credit management, and debt collection, with 

appropriate financial reporting and internal controls.

Audit and Assurance Branch: Plans and performs reviews to determine compliance with the 

requirements of the Federal Managers' Financial Integrity Act and Departmental accounting and 

financial policy.

Financial Reporting and Reconciliation Branch: Provides required reports which include a 

description and analysis of the status of financial management in the agency, annual financial 

statements, audit reports, and internal accounting and administrative controls systems.

Financial Policy Branch: Coordinates and develops policies, standards, programs and other 

instructions for cost accounting. Establishes travel, cash management, and other applicable fiscal 

and financial management policies
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Special Exhibits 14 - 13

The Financial Management Modernization Initiative (FMMI) will be implemented October 1, 2012. 

USDA began launching FMMI to several agencies and staff offices in October 2009 to modernize the 

departmental and agency financial and administrative payment and program general ledger systems. 

FMMI makes way for the use of a state-of-the-art software package that will provide online, real-time 

transaction capability and access to both Department-level offices and all agencies. 

Chief Financial Officer 

Current Process Improvement Efforts

Resource Audit Branch paperless initiative

Cash Reconciliation Fund Balance with 

Treasury (FBWT) Tool

FMMI and Business Process Evaluations

Changing audit contract to fixed price

Automated Report on Budget Execution 

and Budgetary Resources (SF-133) 

reporting tool

Web based training for field audit 

liaisons

Chief Information Office

The Chief Information Office centrally manages the agency‘s information resource functions. The CIO‘s 

agency-wide services are illustrated in the following figure.

The CIO vision is to provide an accepted, integrated, business and mission driven process that costeffectively provides essential information and services to support sound decisions and activities. 

Human Resources Management

Under the Business Process Reengineering (BPR) model adopted by the Forest Service in 2004, Human 

Resources (HR) functions were centralized at the Albuquerque Service Center (ASC), Human Resources 

Management (HRM). The Agency subsequently reviewed program direction and progress toward the 

goals of BPR in order to determine the next steps for continuous improvements in delivery of HR 

services. At its December 2009 meeting, the National Leadership Council (NLC) made a decision to 

move forward with HR Redesign based on the following concepts:

Chief Information Office Agency-Wide Services

Professional Services Business Services

Customer Relations Services

Project Management

Security Management

Capacity Management

Service Transition Planning and 

Support

Performance and Quality 

Management

Governance

Customer Help Desk

Software Testing and Distribution Service

Application Hosting 

Enterprise Operations

Enterprise Data Management and Storage 

Enterprise Messaging

IT Architecture

Radio Services

Telecommunication and Collaboration Services

Enterprise Content Management

Asset Management/Desktop PC Services

Web Services
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Special Exhibits 14 - 14

Restore relationships between HR and supervisors, managers, and employees in the field. 

Restore leadership influence on HR decisions and actions.

Implement Service Teams in the Regions/Stations/Area (R/S/A) programs to provide Staffing, 

Classification, Employee Relations and Labor Relations services.

Increase HR expertise in the field.

Establish/expand metrics and performance indicators for HR services.

Implement a staged approach to guide rollout of HR Redesign.

Implement a ―Corporate Governance‖ model.

HR Redesign

The Forest Service has been actively engaged in developing strategies to personalize and improve HRM 

services. In December 2009, the National Leadership Team (NLT) committed to (1) recapturing the 

sense of mission alignment between the Agency and HR, (2) strengthening the HR presence in the field 

by restoring the ―high-touch,‖ components of delivering HR services, and (3) streamlining centralized 

services and systems to facilitate our responsiveness to employee requests. This decision by the NLC 

included additional resources demonstrating the Agency‘s sincere commitment to a strong HR program. 

HR Redesign Implementation is well underway. The Forest Service will continue to manage HR at 

different levels. The service team concept is built around specific regional areas or organizations within 

the agency.

Human Resources Officers (HROs) have been selected to lead the Service Teams that will provide 

staffing, classification, employee relations (ER) and labor management relations (LMR) services in the 

field. In FY 2010 and FY 2011 Service Teams were implemented in Forest Service regions over a 12 

month period in four stages.

HR Agency-Wide Services

Agency-Wide Services are provided in the Following Areas

Employment Services

Pay and Benefits

Classification

Performance and Awards

Homeland Security HSPD-12

Quality Assurance and Service Management

Human Resource Policy

Worker‘s Compensation Programs

Employee and Labor Relations

Contact Center and Helpdesk Services

Workforce Planning

Workforce Development

Customer Relations

Human Resource Information System

Workforce Investigations

Third-Party Representation

Drug-Free Workplace Program

Suitability Program

Compliance Oversight
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Special Exhibits 14 - 15

HR Management

Current Process Improvement Efforts

Meeting Facilitation (HRM Leadership)

Self-inspection program

Supervisor coding and mandatory training

Budget management

Position Management

eOPF Order process

SF-52 rework reduction/elimination 

SOP management process

Lean six sigma training and certification 

process

Additional Efficiency Enhancing Efforts:

Broad year-long FY 2012 effort on five key HRM Focus Areas that will increase efficiency and 

effectiveness of the organization and enhance mission success. Action plan development and/or 

implementation is under way in the following areas: 

Strengthening Administrative Services/One USDA

Program Compliance

Transparency (Internal and External)

Cultural Transformation/Process Improvement

Partnerships
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

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FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

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Chief’s Reserve Fund

Overview

The Chief‘s Reserve Fund (CRF) is managed by the Chief‘s Office to fund emergencies or unforeseen 

events that occur throughout the fiscal year. This reserve fund allows units to respond quickly to 

unplanned urgent work without impacting the planned program of work. 

FY 2011 – FY 2013 Funding (dollars in thousands)

FY 2011 FY 2012 FY 2013 President’s Budget

$6,650 $6,650 $6,650

At the Chief‘s discretion, funds from this reserve are available for unplanned and/or emergency 

circumstances. Requests are evaluated against criteria including 1) the urgent nature of the event, 2) 

relevance of proposed use to priorities, 3) other funding source considerations, and 4) risks from being 

unfunded. Requests must be for work or projects exceeding $25,000. Initial fund mixes are determined at 

the beginning of the fiscal year, but may be remixed during the year to meet unanticipated needs. Funds 

are only spent in accordance with the purposes for which they were appropriated. Unused funds are 

distributed to the Regions, Stations, and State and Private ForestryArea as carryover in the following year. 

In FY 2011, CRF funds were approved for some unplanned projects. Total program amounts assessed and 

obligated in FY 2011 are illustrated in the table below.

FY 2011 Program Approved

Forest & Rangeland Research $ 294,500

Forest Health Management-Cooperative Lands 133,000

Forest Health Management-Federal Lands 199,500

State Fire Assistance 149,625

Forest Stewardship 83,125

Urban & Community Forestry 66,500

Land Management Planning 266,200

Inventory & Monitoring 532,000

Recreation, Heritage, & Wilderness 598,500

Wildlife & Fisheries Habitat Management 332,500

Grazing Management 133,000

Forest Products 598,500

Minerals & Geology Management 166,250

Vegetation & Watershed Management 598,500

Landownership Management 266,000

Law Enforcement Operations 137,750

Hazardous Fuels 266,000

Preparedness 503,500

Suppression 427,500

Facilities 399,000

Roads 266,000

Trails 166,250

Infrastructure Improvement 66,500

TOTAL $ 6,650,200
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Special Exhibits 14 - 18

Some projects funded by the Chief‘s Reserve Fund in FY 2011 include: 

―Get to Know” (G2K) ($250,000) 

The Get to Know Your Wild Neighbors (G2K) education and outreach program is an innovative 

partnership that uses the expressive arts as a gateway to connect youth with nature. Working closely with 

strong, diverse partners representing NGOs, federal agencies, and educational institutions, the G2K 

collaborative plans, coordinates and evaluates effective outreach efforts that include an annual expressive 

arts contest, a dynamic website, media outreach and other new, contemporary approaches to engage 

today's youth. As a founding partner in the G2K program, the FS provides valued leadership and support 

to the evolving program.. 

Baltimore 2nd Harbor ($100,000) 

Baltimore‘s Second Harbor project is a unique, signature opportunity to re-connect urban people, places, 

and wildlife to the Chesapeake Bay through the rehabilitation and management of watershed and 

waterfront industrial lands. Using a corporate-community wide approach to urban watershed restoration, 

this project will increase urban tree canopy, wildlife habitat, and scenic aesthetics on industrial properties 

while enhancing water quality in the Gwynns Falls watershed. 

Wilderness Stewardship Challenge ($240,000)

This project supports the goal of meeting the Chief‘s Ten Year Wilderness Stewardship Challenge. The 

strategy is comprised of a mix of approaches, including: 1) regional grant programs to support moderate 

capacity forests; 2) supplemental funding of the existing National Forest Foundation Wilderness 

Stewardship Challenge grant program; 3) continued development of regional wilderness stewardship 

strike teams; and 4) implementation of technical assistance reviews for lowest scoring regions. 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Special Exhibits 14 - 19

Conservation Education

Overview

The Forest Service connects more than four million people each year with nature and public lands through 

its Conservation Education (CE) program. CE teaches people about natural resource management and 

gives them tools to make informed decisions and take action to sustain natural and cultural resources. CE

efforts provide a full range of educational experiences, beginning with awareness and knowledge-building 

programs, and moving toward engagement, commitment, and action-based programs. 

CE programs are delivered by a network of land managers, scientists, educators, and interpreters 

representing all branches of the agency, and are supported by extensive partnerships with nongovernmental organizations, State and local agencies, and other educational institutions. Learning 

experiences include outdoor recreational and interpretive activities, formal structured school-based 

programs that support local standards of learning, capacity building for educators, and service-learning 

projects. Some of the CE program focal areas include climate change, reconnecting children with nature, 

and preparing youth for jobs in the green economy. CE programs focus specific educational efforts on 

children (pre-kindergarten through 12th grade) and their educators in classroom and non-formal settings. 

FY 2013 Program of Work 

In FY 2013, CE will continue to use the National Guidelines for Excellence as a guide to develop new 

programs and materials, and to evaluate existing agency programs and materials. We will continue 

working through trusted professionals to connect children to nature and provide experiential learning 

opportunities. CE will continue to: 1) expand the Discover the Forest Campaign to include a Spanish 

language web site to outreach to the Hispanic community; 2) support the agency‘s climate change 

emphasis area, specifically through the Climate Change educational materials, and distance learning 

program and the ―Green Schools!‖ activities; 3) contribute to the general body of knowledge regarding 

the field of environmental education by producing a timely update to the 2005 Environmental Literacy in 

America report; 4) coordinate with the growing body of Children‘s Forests to expand the Children and 

Nature Initiative, training pediatric health workers to write prescriptions for outdoor experiences for their 

patients; 5) foster first hand experiences in nature through innovative uses of technology; and 6) expand 

outreach to underserved populations through many other programs such as Latino Legacy and California 

Consortium.

CE‘s internet presence will be strengthened with improved information technology to enhance 

communication, networking, and accomplishment reporting. Multiple channels of social networking will 

be enhanced and support other tools. These tools, along with environmental stewardship activities, will 

strengthen environmental awareness and knowledge, and citizen involvement in sustainable resource 

management. CE will leverage its many partnerships to provide educational expertise, teacher training, 

supplemental curriculum materials, and connections to our customers, and to effectively engage urban 

and underserved communities.

Past Performance 

In FY 2012, ―Discover the Forest‖ campaign in Spanish was started to reach Latino communities in urban 

and rural communities. A new set of Public Service Announcements (PSAs) launched as a result of 

private-public partnership with NBC Universal and the AD Council. These assets are in addition to the 

campaign‘s current parent-targeted PSAs which encourage families to ―un-plug‖ for families to 

experience the forest, a place where they can re-connect with each other. 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Special Exhibits 14 - 20

In FY 2011, Discover the Forest Campaign launched its UNPLUG assets which were distributed to 

33,000 media outlets nationwide which have donated more than $48.6 million in time and space for the 

campaign. We also expanded the Discover the Forest campaign to include a Spanish language web site to 

outreach to the Hispanic community. A second pioneering program ―Get the Green‖ was piloted to reach 

underserved communities and engage youth through their electronics and draw them outdoors. Also 

during FY 2011, CE developed a fourth curriculum module for Job Corps designed to increase 

environmental literacy. 

Over five million children and families participated in environmental education, recreation, and related 

literacy programs on public lands and waters to increase understanding of the natural world and its 

benefits to society in FY 2011. Additionally, the ―More Kids in the Woods‖ cost share programs provided 

opportunities for outdoor learning experiences for 28,872 children in FY 2011. For example, the Forest 

Service inspired the next generation of natural resource professionals by reaching many underserved 

youth through the ―More Kids in the Woods‖ funded Outdoor Explorers Mentoring Program which 

connected underserved youth with the wild places in their backyard through intergenerational, placebased outdoor adventures and service learning projects.

CE and its partners also fund many other new and ongoing projects, including:

A Forest for Every Classroom‖ Teacher Training Initiative, an intensive teacher training model 

that emphasizes place-based education and service-learning

The Natural Inquirer journals where scientists share their research with students

PollinatorLIVE – A Distance Learning Adventure, an on-line opportunity to learn about 

pollinators, gardening, and conservation practices

Smokey Bear and Woodsy Owl, America‘s conservation icons whose messages continue to 

resonate with youth

The GreenSchools! program, designed to raise environmental literacy

EdOut, an exciting new partnership committed to improving the quality and excitement of 

learning in K–12 education with an outdoor component

Get the Green, an internet contest that reaches underserved Hispanic youth, encourages them to 

go outside and submit photos and videos of themselves and their families in outdoor, natural 

environments

The Forest Service is also part of Hands on the Land, a national network of field classrooms that connects 

students, teachers, and parents to their public lands and waterways.

Allocation and Integration 

Conservation Education is one of the most broadly integrated programs in the agency and operates with 

an ―all lands‖ approach. The CE program in the Washington Office supports field offices in the 

implementation of Agency and Department priorities. At the forest and Region/Station/Area levels, 

conservation education efforts are funded through more than a dozen agency programs including 

Recreation, Heritage, and Wilderness; Watershed, Fish, Wildlife, Air, and Rare Plants; Forest and 

Rangeland Research; Forest Health Management; Urban and Community Forestry; Hazardous Fuels; and 

Wildfire Prevention. 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Special Exhibits 14 - 21

Partnerships

Partnerships are critical to the success of Conservation Education in the Forest Service. More than 2,500 

individual organizations at the national, State, and local levels help to ensure that our Conservation 

Education efforts meet local needs through both financial and in-kind contributions, that leverage the 

agency‘s investment of resources each year. The Washington Office creates and nurtures nationwide 

partnerships that provide technical assistance to our vast network of providers across the agency and 

improve our outreach to diverse, underserved, and urban populations.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Special Exhibits 14 - 22

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FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Special Exhibits 14 - 23

Cost Pool (both Direct and Indirect) Totals

Overview

Cost Pool expenses support every Forest Service employee at every level. It is a financial management 

tool to provide funding for items directly related to delivery of Forest Service programs in the field that 

are not directly related to a specific program. Cost Pools fund line officers salaries (e.g. District Rangers) 

and expenses, administrative support, information technology, human resources, computers, telephones, 

rent, utilities, and other common services. 

The Forest Service is continuing its commitment towards reducing indirect costs since the centralization 

of the Forest Service administrative functions at the Albuquerque Service Center. These Centralized 

Business Services include the Budget and Finance (B&F), Chief Information Officer (CIO), and the 

Human Resources Management (HRM) functions. These centralized functions support and service the 

entire Forest Service. The goals were to improve service, streamline and modernize business procedures, 

and to reduce costs in order to redirect funds to mission critical priorities. Refer to the Centralized 

Business Services special exhibit for more detail. 

FY 2013 Program Changes 

The FY 2013 President’s Budget proposes approximately $997 million for Forest Service cost pool 

expenses, a decrease of $60 million from FY 2012 Enacted. Cost Pools expenses have consistently been 

less than 20 percent of the agency’s budget. In FY 2013, Cost Pools will be reduced to 18.5 percent of the 

total budget. This reduction will be achieved through a variety of measures to gain efficiencies and 

control costs. Refer to the Gaining Efficiencies and Cost Control Measures Special Exhibit for more 

detail.

 FY 2011 to FY 2013 Cost Pool Assessment (dollars in thousands)

Budget Line Item FY 2011

Enacted

FY 2012 

Enacted

FY 2013 

President’s 

Budget

Cost Pool Assessment $1,057 $1,057 $997

Percent of Total Budget* 19.1% 19.7% 18.5%

*Includes Discretionary and Mandatory appropriations except FLAME.

General Policy

Appropriate application of cost pools allows the Forest Service to accurately reflect the cost of doing 

business in compliance with the Federal financial reporting standards articulated by the Federal 

Accounting Standards Advisory Board (FASAB). Accurately reflecting the true cost of doing business 

improves the Government's ability to account for public funds; provides information for evaluating 

agency costs, accomplishments, and impacts of accomplishments; and provides a basis to assess agency 

financial systems and controls.

The Forest Service receives appropriations by program, and does not receive a general administration or 

management appropriation. Cost pools are used for expenses that cannot reasonably be charged directly to 

a single program. The cost pools are designed to maintain accurate reporting of the true costs by program, 

by having each program contribute into the cost pools an amount based on its share of indirect, support, 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Special Exhibits 14 - 24

and common services charges. To effectively manage, fund, and account for total cost pool costs, the 

Forest Service continues:

Using the cost allocation methodology for distributing costs to budget line items

Using cost pools to capture similar costs by category

Annually updating cost allocation directions

Monitoring cost allocation data, cost pool transaction and accounting adjustments, and/or 

program changes to maintain financial integrity

Conducting cost allocation compliance reviews at region, station, area, and national forest levels

Cost Pool Policy Review

The purpose of the cost allocation compliance reviews is to determine the consistency in which the field 

organization and the Washington Office (WO) headquarters implement cost-pool policy and to identify 

areas for improvement. The agency uses the information gathered from the reviews to improve the cost 

allocation process and update cost allocation directions for the following fiscal year.

Direct, Support, and Indirect Costs

Forest Service definitions of direct and indirect costs are consistent with FASAB Statement #4. The 

agency published the definitions in the FY 2000 Budget Justification. The Department of Agriculture 

Chief Financial Officer and the Office of Management and Budget cleared, and the Government 

Accountability Office, United States Department of Commerce’s Office of Inspector General and Office 

of General Counsel, and the Department of Justice reviewed the definitions prior to publishing.

Direct Costs 

Direct costs are specifically identified with the delivery of a program or a program’s accomplishments.

Direct costs include expenses associated with employees working directly on the production of an output.

Program management is an integral cost of the production of an output and therefore is included as a 

direct cost. Direct costs might also include costs not associated with employees involved in the 

production of output(s), such as office and other facility space, computer equipment, and utilities, as well

as materials, supplies, and equipment. Direct costs are generally charged directly to a single primary 

purpose budget line item.

Support Costs 

Support costs, like indirect costs, are not traceable to any specific budget line item. However, they are 

associated with line management administering the program of work, as well as a limited set of nationally 

designated cross-cutting projects and activities. The cost allocation methodology distributes support costs 

to budget line items (cost pools 1, 2 and the direct portion of 5).

Indirect Costs

Indirect costs are costs that are necessary for the operation of the Forest Service as an organization but are 

not traceable to any specific outputs. These include Legislative and Public Communication, Ongoing 

Business Services, and Common Services (cost pools 3, 4 and the indirect portion of cost pool 5).

Cost Pools 

For management and tracking purposes, categories of similar expenses are combined into five cost pools.

Cost pools 1 and 2 track those costs defined as “support”, cost pools 3 and 4 include those expenses 

classified as “ indirect”, and cost pool 5 includes both indirect and direct components. Other cost pools (6 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Special Exhibits 14 - 25

and 7) track Office of Workers’ Compensation (OWCP) and Unemployment Compensation Insurance 

(UCI). Cost pool 9 collects facilities maintenance assessment funds. There is no cost pool 8.

Generally, the cost pools serve as an accounting tool, providing the Forest Service with financial data on 

categories of similar expenses. This permits the Forest Service to plan for and manage support, indirect 

and direct pool costs at different levels in the organization. A description of these pools and their 

associated costs are listed below. 

Cost Pool 1 - General Management

This cost pool includes salaries, associated employee benefits, and related costs for general line managers 

and officers (including secretarial staff) at the WO, Regions/Stations/Area (R/S/A), national forest, and 

ranger district levels. In addition, union officials, civil rights positions, and safety officers are included in 

Cost Pool 1 to show their direct connection and link to line management. Related costs include uniforms, 

travel, transfer of station, vehicles, cell phones, specialized supplies and equipment, and discretionary 

expenses associated with these positions. Cost Pool 1 is entirely support costs and is based on direct fulltime equivalents (FTEs) of total employees within the cost pool.

Cost Pool 2 - Direct Project Approved Activities

This cost pool includes salaries, benefits, and related costs for a limited set of nationally designated crosscutting projects, currently limited to Conservation Education, Tribal relations, Freedom of Information 

Act (FOIA), Resource Advisory Council (RAC) administration, and Grey Towers. Cost Pool 2 is entirely 

program support and is based on direct FTEs of total employees within the cost pool.

Cost Pool 3 - Legislative and Public Communications 

This cost pool includes salaries, associated employee benefits, and related costs for general receptionists, 

public affairs, and legislative liaisons at the WO, R/S/A, national forest, and ranger district levels. Related 

costs include uniforms, travel, transfer of station, vehicles, cell phones, specialized supplies and 

equipment, and discretionary expenses associated with these positions. Cost Pool 3 is entirely indirect 

costs and is based on direct FTEs of total employees within the cost pool.

Cost Pool 4 - Ongoing Business Services

Cost Pool 4 includes salaries, associated employee benefits, and related costs for business operations at 

the WO, R/S/A, national forest, and ranger district levels. Business operations include budget, finance, 

acquisition, human capital management, some grants and agreements, and information resource 

management. Calendar year national burden rate (collected from external and cooperative agreements) is 

credited to Cost Pool 4 through the FFIS Purchase Cost Allocation System (PCAS). Cost Pool 4 is 

entirely indirect costs and is based on direct FTEs of total employees within the cost pool.

Cost Pool 5 - Common Services

This cost pool generally includes rent, utilities, communications, equipment, supplies, radios, phones, and 

corporate computer related expenses for all employees. Cost Pool 5 consists of both indirect and direct 

pool costs. The distribution of costs in pool 5 is based on direct FTEs for permanent employees only; the 

division between direct and indirect costs is based on the ratio of direct to indirect employees. For 

example, if the common services for a unit with 100 employees, consisting of 80 direct and 20 indirect, is 

$500,000, then $400,000 of these costs would be direct and $100,000 would be indirect.

Cost Pool 6 - Office of Worker’s Compensation Program (OWCP)

This cost pool includes Office of Worker’s Compensation Program costs charged on a case-by-case basis.

Therefore, the charges will vary in both indirect and direct pool costs. Costs are distributed based on the 

work being performed at the time of the injury. OWCP for indirect employees is an indirect cost and 

allocated based on direct labor hours. 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Special Exhibits 14 - 26

Cost Pool 7 - Unemployment Compensation Insurance (UCI)

This cost pool includes Unemployment Compensation Insurance costs charged on a case-by-case basis.

Therefore, the charges will vary in both indirect and direct pool costs. Costs are distributed based on the 

work performed while employed. UCI for indirect employees is an indirect cost and allocated based on 

direct labor hours (DLHs). 

Cost Pool 9 - Facilities Maintenance Assessment Fund

This cost pool contains the Facilities Maintenance Assessment Fund. This is a direct cost pool used to 

allocate facilities maintenance work funded by assessing each R/S/A a charge based on gross square foot 

of facilities. These charges are then allocated by BLI using the same basis as Cost Pool 5 in compliance 

with the FY 2006 Appropriations Act and accompanying conference report language. Refer to the 

Facilities Maintenance Assessment Special Exhibit for more information.

Cost Allocations 

The Forest Service allocates support, indirect, and direct pool costs among programs through the cost 

allocation process, which assesses each Forest Service budget line item a certain percentage of total cost 

pool costs. Cost pools are generally allocated using direct labor hours (DLH). DLH are converted to fulltime equivalents (FTEs); 1 FTE = 2,096 DLHs (the DLH number varies depending on the year). For cost 

pools 1 to 4, DLHs are used for all employees charging to direct costs (all employees includes those 

holding permanent, temporary, intermittent, and other types of positions).

This approach for cost pools 1 to 4 is used because these costs generally reflect the entire organization.

For cost pools 5 and 9, only permanent employee DLHs are used, because these costs (rent, 

communication, utilities, etc.) are driven primarily by the need to support the permanent workforce.

Planning estimates for cost pool 6 are based on actual past cases for OWCP; and cost pool 7 is based on 

actual past cases for UCI. Because of their nature, the FTEs associated with supplemental, transfer, and 

emergency funds are dropped from the cost pools and are not used in calculating indirect costs.

The Forest Service uses cost allocation to charge expenses back to a single budget line item. Cost 

allocation is used for expenses that: 

Are indirect (e.g., cost pool 4), 

Simultaneously support multiple programs in a way that cannot be efficiently charged directly to 

a budget line item (BLI) (e.g., cost pools 1 and 2), 

Involve multiple transactions that need to be summarized for payment purposes (e.g., cost pools 6 

& 7), or

Are otherwise directed by congressional or administrative action (e.g., cost pool 9).

The Forest Service uses cost allocation to charge expenses back to a single budget line item. Cost 

allocation is used for expenses that: 

Are indirect (e.g., cost pools 3 and 4), 

Simultaneously support multiple programs in a way that cannot be efficiently charged directly to 

a budget line item (BLI) (e.g., cost pools 1 and 2), 

Involve multiple transactions that need to be summarized for payment purposes (e.g., cost pools 6 

& 7), or

Are otherwise directed by congressional or administrative action (e.g., cost pool 9).
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Special Exhibits 14 - 27

Forest Service Cost Pool Exhibits

Exhibit 1 – Comparison of FY 2011 Planned compared to FY 2011 Actual Cost Pool 1-5 Assessments

and FY 2012 Estimated Cost Pool 1-5 Assessments by Budget Line Item

Exhibit 2 – Estimate of FY 2013 Total Cost Pool 1-5 Assessments by Budget Line Item
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Special Exhibits 14 - 28

Exhibit 1. Comparison of FY 2011 Planned versus Actual Total Cost Pool Assessment 1-5

 and FY 2012 Estimated Cost Pool 1-5 Assessment by Budget Line Item (dollars in thousands)

 FY 2011 Actual

 Budget Line Item: Fund/Program 

FY 2011 

Enacted 

Budget

FY 2011 

Estimated 

Cost Pools 1-

5

FY 2011 

Actual Cost 

Pools 1-5

Cost Pools 

as a 

Percent of 

BLI

Percent of 

Total FS 

Cost Pools 1-

5

FY 2012 

Final Approp

FY 2012 

Estimated 

Cost Pools 1-

5

Cost Pools as 

a Percent of 

BLI

Percent of 

Total FS 

Cost Pools 1-

5

Forest and Rangeland Research $306,637 $41,144 $40,829 13.3% 3.9% $295,300 $43,701 14.8% 4.1%

Subtotal, Research $306,637 $41,144 $40,829 13.3% 3.9% $295,300 $43,701 14.8% 4.1%

Forest Health Management Federal Lands $56,737 $10,059 $9,982 17.6% 1.0% $47,425 $11,120 23.4% 1.1%

Forest Health Management Cooperative Lands $48,821 $1,989 $1,974 4.0% 0.2% $39,999 $1,110 2.8% 0.1%

State Fire Assistance $32,358 $1,650 $1,637 5.1% 0.2% $30,488 $1,661 5.4% 0.2%

Forest Stewardship $32,548 $2,037 $2,021 6.2% 0.2% $28,814 $1,931 6.7% 0.2%

Forest Legacy $52,894 $747 $741 1.4% 0.1% $53,303 $874 1.6% 0.1%

Urban and Community Forestry $32,040 $1,549 $1,537 4.8% 0.1% $31,327 $1,499 4.8% 0.1%

Forest Resources Information and Analysis $5,025 $378 $375 7.5% 0.0% $4,917 $554 11.3% 0.1%

International Forestry $9,492 $727 $722 7.6% 0.1% $7,987 $725 9.1% 0.1%

Subtotal, State and Private Forestry $269,915 $19,136 $18,989 7.0% 1.8% $244,260 $19,474 8.0% 1.8%

Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration $14,970 $39,936 $6,273 15.7% 0.6%

Land Management Planning $45,033 $11,500 $11,412 25.3% 1.1% $39,936 $10,838 27.1% 1.0%

Inventory and Monitoring $167,219 $37,792 $37,503 22.4% 3.6% $161,721 $35,788 22.1% 3.4%

Recreation, Heritage, and Wilderness $281,627 $97,709 $96,959 34.4% 9.2% $281,176 $97,120 34.5% 9.2% Wildlife and Fisheries Habitat Management $140,260 $39,906 $39,600 28.2% 3.8% $140,036 $39,629 28.3% 3.7%

Grazing Management $49,738 $17,374 $17,241 34.7% 1.6% $55,356 $15,456 27.9% 1.5%

Forest Products $336,049 $109,304 $108,466 32.3% 10.3% $335,511 $110,495 32.9% 10.5%

Vegetation and Watershed Management $184,341 $49,187 $48,810 26.5% 4.7% $184,046 $52,264 28.4% 4.9% Minerals and Geology Management $83,560 $21,055 $20,893 25.0% 2.0% $83,426 $21,218 25.4% 2.0%

Landownership Management $91,765 $27,307 $27,098 29.5% 2.6% $85,738 $27,371 31.9% 2.6%

Law Enforcement Operations $144,254 $31,929 $31,684 22.0% 3.0% $143,829 $20,513 14.3% 1.9%

Subtotal, National Forest System $1,538,816 $443,063 $439,666 28.6% 41.9% $1,550,711 $436,965 28.2% 41.3%

Preparedness $673,650 $57,912 $57,468 8.5% 5.5% $1,004,442 $265,168 26.4% 25.1%

Hazardous Fuels Management $339,604 $96,834 $96,092 28.3% 9.2% $317,076 $88,535 27.9% 8.4%

Fire Operations $995,511 $246,888 $244,995 24.6% 23.4% $298,242 $47,283 15.9% 4.5%

Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration $9,980 $3,070 $3,047 30.5% 0.3%

National Fire Plan - Forest and Rangeland Res. $23,869 $2,515 $2,496 10.5% 0.2% $21,699 $2,500 11.5% 0.2%

National Fire Plan - Rehab and Restoration $11,477 $1,068 $1,060 9.2% 0.1%

National Fire Plan - Forest Health Fed Lands $20,710 $3,999 $3,968 19.2% 0.4% $15,957 $4,617 28.9% 0.4%

National Fire Plan - Forest Health Coop Lands $11,405 $984 $976 8.6% 0.1% $8,353 $953 11.4% 0.1%

National Fire Plan - State Fire Assistance $64,870 $108 $107 0.2% 0.0% $55,475 0.0% 0.0%

Subtotal, Wildland Fire $2,151,076 $413,378 $410,209 19.1% 39.1% $1,721,244 $409,056 23.8% 38.7%

Facilities $135,000 $21,623 $21,458 15.9% 2.0% $75,664 $23,907 31.6% 2.3%

Roads $195,195 $52,852 $52,447 26.9% 5.0% $182,525 $53,743 29.4% 5.1%

Trails $88,381 $24,625 $24,436 27.6% 2.3% $81,851 $25,054 30.6% 2.4%

Legacy Roads and Trails $44,910 $4,548 $4,513 0.0% 0.4% $44,928 $9,676 21.5% 0.9%

Deferred Maintenance $9,158 $664 $658 7.2% 0.1% $9,121 $471 5.2% 0.0%

Subtotal, Capital Improvement and Maintenance $472,644 $104,312 $103,512 21.9% 9.9% $394,089 $112,851 28.6% 10.7%

Land Acquisition $32,934 $1,340 $1,330 4.0% 0.1% $52,521 $1,507 2.9% 0.1%

Subtotal, Land Acquisition $32,934 $1,340 $1,330 4.0% 0.1% $52,521 $1,507 2.9% 0.1%

Alaska Subsistence $2,577 $748 $742 28.8% 0.1% $2,573 $692 26.9% 0.1%

Subtotal, Other Appropriations $2,577 $748 $742 28.8% 0.1% $2,573 $692 26.9% 0.1%

Brush Disposal $11,174 $2,708 $2,687 24.0% 0.3% $10,576 $2,031 19.2% 0.2%

Timber Salvage Sales $28,691 $7,991 $7,930 27.6% 0.8% $29,366 $8,172 27.8% 0.8%

Cooperative Work, Knutson-Vandenburg Trust Fund $68,997 $14,812 $14,698 21.3% 1.4% $68,309 $13,996 20.5% 1.3%

Reforestation Trust Fund $30,000 $7,339 $7,283 24.3% 0.7% $30,000 $7,669 25.6% 0.7%

Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Fund $59,953 $1,029 $1,021 1.7% 0.1% $75,952 $886 1.2% 0.1%

Subtotal, Permanent and Trust Funds $198,815 $33,879 $33,619 16.9% 3.2% $214,203 $32,754 15.3% 3.1%

TOTAL - FOREST SERVICE * $4,973,414 $1,057,000 $1,048,896 21.1% 100.0% $4,474,901 $1,057,000 23.6% 100.0%

*Only includes appropriations that were used in the basis for assessing cost pools 1-5. 

*Does not include supplemental, emergency, transfer, or payments to states funds which are not assessed for cost pools 1-5.

FY 2011 Estimate FY 2012 Estimate
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Special Exhibits 14 - 29

Exhibit 2. Estimate of FY 2013 Total Cost Pool Assessments (Direct and Indirect)

by Budget Line Item (dollars in thousands)

 Budget Line Item: Fund/Program 

FY 2013 

President's 

Budget

Estimated Total 

Cost Pool 

Assessments by 

BLI

Cost Pool 

Assessments as 

Percent of BLI

Cost Pool 

Assessments as 

Percent of Total

Forest and Rangeland Research $292,796 $41,743 14.3% 4.2%

Subtotal, Research $292,796 $41,743 14.3% 4.2%

Federal Lands $63,000 $14,844 23.6% 1.5%

Cooperative Lands $49,000 $1,946 4.0% 0.2%

Forest Stewardship $24,778 $1,821 7.3% 0.2%

Forest Legacy $60,000 $824 1.4% 0.1%

Urban and Community Forestry $28,040 $1,414 5.0% 0.1%

International Forestry $3,912 $684 17.5% 0.1%

Subtotal, State and Private Forestry $228,730 $21,533 9.4% 2.2%

Integrated Resource Restoration $793,124 $220,904 27.9% 22.2%

Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration $40,000 $5,917 14.8% 0.6%

Land Management Planning, Assessment & Monitoring $188,774 $43,979 23.3% 4.4%

Recreation, Heritage & Wilderness $267,066 $91,607 34.3% 9.2%

Grazing Management $40,380 $14,579 36.1% 1.5%

Minerals & Geology Management $73,351 $20,014 27.3% 2.0%

Landownership Management $78,855 $25,817 32.7% 2.6%

Law Enforcement Operations $140,041 $19,349 13.8% 1.9%

Management of NF Lands for Subsistence Uses $2,000 $653 32.7% 0.1%

Subtotal, National Forest System $1,623,591 $442,819 27.3% 44.4%

Preparedness $1,001,513 $250,116 25.0% 25.1%

Fire Operations-Suppression $616,000 $44,599 7.2% 4.5%

Hazardous Fuels Wildland-Urban $241,600 $62,632 25.9% 6.3%

National Fire Plan (NFP) - Forest & Rangeland Research $20,634 $2,358 11.4% 0.2%

National Fire Plan (NFP) - State Fire Assistance $72,688 $1,567 2.2% 0.2%

Subtotal, Wildland Fire $1,952,435 $361,272 18.5% 36.2%

Facilities $99,463 $22,550 22.7% 2.3%

Roads $157,818 $50,692 32.1% 5.1%

Trails $81,985 $23,632 28.8% 2.4%

Deferred Maintenance/ Infrastructure Improvement $7,113 $444 0.0% 0.0%

Subtotal, Capital Improvement and Maintenance $346,379 $97,318 28.1% 9.8%

Land Acquisition $57,934 $1,421 2.5% 0.1%

Subtotal, Land Acquisition $57,934 $1,421 2.5% 0.1%

Brush Disposal $8,000 $1,916 24.0% 0.2%

Timber Salvage Sales $20,000 $7,708 38.5% 0.8%

Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Fund $61,500 $836 1.4% 0.1%

Cooperative Work, Knutson-Vandenburg Trust Fund $58,000 $13,201 22.8% 1.3%

Reforestation Trust Fund $30,000 $7,233 24.1% 0.7%

Subtotal, Permanent and Trust Funds $177,500 $30,894 17.4% 3.1%

TOTAL* $4,679,365 $997,000 21.3% 100.0%

*Does not include supplemental, emergency, transfer, or payments to states funds which are not assessed for cost pools.

*Only includes appropriations that were assessed for cost pools 1-5; 20.4% is based on discretionary appropriations, which is a subset of the total 

Budget. The total cost pool amount is approximately 18.5% of the total Budget. 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Special Exhibits 14 - 30

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FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Special Exhibits 14 - 31

Deferred Maintenance and Asset Management

Overview

Deferred maintenance is maintenance that was scheduled to be performed on an asset but was delayed due 

to backlog, funding shortages or other reasons. Repairs, replacements, and rehabilitation to restore 

functionality are actions that can be taken to preserve an asset so that it continues to provide acceptable 

service and achieve its expected lifespan. Maintenance excludes activities aimed at expanding the 

capacity of an asset or otherwise upgrading it to service needs different from those originally intended.

Over the past decade, the Forest Service has implemented a national effort to collect detailed data on 

infrastructure condition and maintenance and improvement needs. This effort was initially in response to 

both financial reporting requirements and direction from Congress, but has also shown significant value 

in support of additional agency priorities. 

The Forest Service uses condition surveys to estimate deferred maintenance on all major classes of its 

property, plant, and equipment (PP&E). No deferred maintenance exists for fleet vehicles and computers. 

These are managed through the agency‘sWorking Capital Fund. Deferred maintenance estimates for most 

assets are based on condition surveys performed on a 5-year maximum revolving schedule, with the 

exception of the Bridges Asset Class which is on a 2-year maximum revolving schedule. To date, surveys 

of all administrative buildings, dams, bridges, roads open to passenger cars, and recreation sites have been 

accomplished. The agency‘s deferred maintenance for the national forest road system is determined 

annually from random sample surveys providing an 80 percent level of confidence. In FY 2011, the 

sample included 500 roads.

The agency is committed to sustaining a viable level of infrastructure, disinvesting in infrastructure that 

can no longer be managed to appropriate standards, rightsizing its asset portfolio, and eliminating the 

substantial backlog of deferred maintenance. Specific programmatic tools in support of asset management 

include:

Asset Management Planning

Executive Order 13327 - ―Federal Real Property Asset Management” established a framework for 

improved use and management of real property owned, leased, or managed by the Federal Government. 

The agency recognizes the importance of real property resources through increased management attention 

and the establishment of clear goals, objectives, policies, and levels of accountability. The agency expects 

to implement active management of its infrastructure portfolio based upon asset management principles 

established by the Office of Management and Budget. 

All facility projects exceeding the General Services Administration prospectus level ($2.75 million) and 

up to $10 million are reviewed by a Forest Service Asset Management Review Board (FS-AMRB). 

Similarly, projects exceeding $10 million are reviewed by both the FS-AMRB and USDA-AMRB.

The agency continues to evaluate the road management objective levels for each road in its system 

through site specific project analysis utilizing the Travel Analysis Process. The goals are to operate and 

maintain a road system that is financially sustainable and consistent with forest land management plan 

objectives, and to align funds to address the critical deferred maintenance. 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Special Exhibits 14 - 32

Facility Master Planning 

Forest Service field units continue to complete or update their facility master plans which identify fire, 

administrative, research, visitor center, and recreation facilities for decommissioning, retention, alternate 

use, or acquisition. These plans will be used to actively manage the facility inventory, reduce the deferred 

maintenance backlog, and decommission unneeded facilities. 

For recreation sites, such as campgrounds, the agency is implementing both the results of the Recreation 

Facility Analysis (RFA) and Recreation Site Improvement processes as a means to reposition the 

recreation sites program to better meet the current and future needs of recreation visitors. One of the 

primary goals is to reduce the deferred maintenance of recreation sites on each national forest by 20 

percent over the 5 years that is covered by each national forest‘s RFA program of work. As of December 

31, 2008, all national forests completed an RFA and produced a 5-year program of work that prioritized 

recreation site investments based on public needs.

Forest Service Facility Realignment and 

Enhancement Act

In FY 2006, the Forest Service Facility 

Realignment and Enhancement Act (Title V, 

Appropriations Act, P.L. 109-54) was 

enacted. This legislation authorizes the sale 

of unneeded administrative sites and the use 

of receipts for acquisition, maintenance, 

reconstruction, and construction of 

administrative infrastructure, creating 

incentives to dispose of these facilities. To 

date, activities under this authority, including pilot projects authorized under P.L. 107-63, Section 329 as 

amended, have generated approximately $51 million in revenues and reduced facilities deferred 

maintenance by over $14 million. 

In FY 2011, the agency collected approximately $4.4 million in receipts through the conveyance of real 

property sale authorities. The agency eliminated approximately 66,849 gross square feet of underutilized 

space, reduced the Deferred Maintenance Backlog by $441,000, and disposed of 13 properties. The 

agency plans to initiate the conveyance of an estimated $5.4 million in land and excess administrative 

facilities, reducing deferred maintenance by an additional $3.3 million in FY 2013.

Facilities Maintenance Assessment

Beginning in FY 2006, the Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies 

Appropriations Act of 2006 authorized the agency to assess all funds available to the agency for the 

purpose of performing facilities maintenance on fire, administrative, and other facilities and major visitor 

centers (Title III, Administrative Provisions, P.L. 109-54). Using a program assessment to fund facility 

maintenance provides an incentive to dispose of unneeded buildings and provide a restraint on new 

construction, because the cost of facilities maintenance is borne by an assessment of program funds. 

Effects of the Forest Service Facility Realignment 

and Enhancement Act (dollars in thousands)

Fiscal Year Receipts

Deferred 

Maintenance 

Reduction

2004-2010 $46,978 $14,085

2011 4,443 441

Total $51,421 $14,526
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Special Exhibits 14 - 33

The table below displays deferred maintenance by asset class as reflected in the agency‘s financial 

statement.

Deferred Maintenance Totals by Asset Class

As of September 30, 2011 ($ thousands)

Asset Class Critical1 Noncritical2 Total

Bridge $33,700 $150,573 $184,272

Building 83,081 981,051 1,064,131

Dam 8,316 14,978 23,294

Fence 292,743 362 293,106

Handling Facility 21,999 22 22,021

Heritage 6,584 19,262 25,846

Minor Constructed 

Features

108,996 108,996

Roads3333,354 3,000,182 3,333,535

Trail 6,017 289,727 295,744

Trail Bridge 3,398 6,919 10,317

Wastewater System 19,356 16,491 35,847

Water System 60,678 48,449 109,127

Wildlife, Fish, and TES 4,537 1,969 6,507

Grand Total $873,763 $4,638,981 $5,512,744

1Critical Deferred Maintenance: Deferred maintenance that results in a serious threat to public health 

or safety, a natural resource, or the ability to carry out the mission of the organization.

2Non-critical Deferred Maintenance: Deferred maintenance that results in a potential risk to public or 

employee safety or health, compliance with codes, standards, regulations, and so forth; or needs that 

address potential adverse consequences to natural resources or mission accomplishment.

3

The roads deferred maintenance amount is for passenger-car roads (Levels 3 through 5). The total 

deferred maintenance amount, including the high clearance roads (Levels 1 and 2), is $4.7 billion. A 

portion of the Level 1 and 2 roads were classified as stewardship assets.

The overall condition of major asset classes range from poor to good depending on the location, age, and 

type of property. The standards for various classes of general PP&E, stewardship, and heritage assets are 

as follows:

Roads and Bridges

Conditions within the National Forest System road system are measured by various standards, 

including: Federal Highway Administration regulations for the Federal Highway Safety Act; best 

management practices for the non-point source provisions of the Clean Water Act from the 

Environmental Protection Agency and States; road management objectives developed through the 

National Forest Management Act forest planning process; and Forest Service directives.

Buildings and Dams

The condition of administrative facilities ranges from poor to good, with approximately 37 

percent needing major repairs or renovations; approximately 13 percent in fair condition; and 50 

percent of the facilities in good condition. The condition of a dam is acceptable when the dam 

meets current design standards and does not have any deficiencies that threaten the safety of the 

structure or the public. For dams to be rated in acceptable condition, the agency needs to restore 

the dams to the original functional purpose, correct unsightly conditions, or do work to prevent 

more costly repairs.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Special Exhibits 14 - 34

Range Structures

The condition assessment for range structures (fences and stock handling facilities) is based on 

(1) a determination by knowledgeable range specialists or other district personnel of whether the 

structure would perform the originally intended function, and (2) a determination through the use 

of a protocol system to assess conditions based on age. A long-standing range methodology is 

used to gather this data.

Heritage Assets

Condition surveys are performed annually on a minimum of 20 percent of the agencies‘ priority 

heritage assets. Deferred maintenance is considered critical if there is a potential health or safety 

risk, or an imminent threat of loss of significant resource values. Heritage assets include 

archaeological sites that require determinations of National Register of Historic Places status, 

National Historic Landmarks, and significant historic properties.

Recreation Sites

Quality standards for operating and maintaining recreation sites are established as measurable 

outputs for health and cleanliness, setting, safety and security, responsiveness, and the condition 

of the facility. Recreation sites include developed recreation sites, recreation areas within the 

general forest areas, campgrounds, trailheads, trails, water and wastewater systems, interpretive 

facilities, and visitor centers. These components are included in several asset classes of the 

deferred maintenance exhibit. 

Trails and Trail Bridges

Conditions within the National Forest System trail system are measured by various standards, 

including: Trail National Quality Standards, Trail Management Objectives, and Forest Service 

directives. Condition surveys are conducted to provide up-to-date information about the condition 

of all physical features and provide data to identify deficiencies and corrective measures that need 

to be taken. Deferred maintenance is identified for trails and trail bridges that are in disrepair due 

to lack of scheduled maintenance; are in violation of applicable safety codes or other regulatory 

requirements, such as applicable accessibility guidelines; or are beyond their designed service 

life. 

Wildlife, Fish, and Threatened and Endangered Species Structures

Conditions are determined by field biologists using their professional judgment. The deferred 

maintenance is considered critical if resource damage or species endangerment would likely 

occur if maintenance were deferred much longer.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Special Exhibits 14 - 35

Gaining Efficiencies and Cost Control Measures

Overview

We must be efficient and effective in meeting our mission and delivering services to the American 

people. The Forest Service has aggressively pursued gaining efficiencies and controlling costs to ensure 

funding is directed to land management activities on the ground and public services. The agency is 

responsive to Presidential, Office of Management and Budget (OMB), and Departmental guidance to 

promote efficient spending, cut waste, improve processes, and control costs in order to operate in a 

reduced budget environment. The following highlights some of the initiatives implemented since 2004:

2004, Centralized Business Services

Budget and finance services were centralized by the Forest Service in Albuquerque to gain efficiency and 

provide improved financial capabilities. Centralized financial operations have significantly contributed to 

the Forest Service receiving 10 clean annual audit opinions in a row, resolving all outstanding material 

weaknesses and getting off GAOs high risk list. Before centralization, budget and finance had a total of 

1,945 FTEs with an annual cost of $139 million. After centralization total FTEs are 888 with an annual 

cost of $88.5 million. The FY 2012 approved budget is $47.5 million, with an approved organization 

level of approximately 400 FTEs.

2005, Performance Accountability System

Implemented a new system to obtain greater control of performance management and reporting. This 

system (PAS) pulls in program performance information from dozens of resource based databases to 

provide the full breadth of official reporting within the government, and ultimately to the public, from a 

single control point. Successful implementation has passed audit scrutiny of internal controls, and has 

enabled effective use and monitoring of corporate performance management information at all levels of 

the Forest Service.

2007, Washington Office, Regional Office, and Northeastern Area Transformation

Restructured regional and national headquarters to integrate leadership and reduce operating costs. 

Numerous analyses and activities were conducted during FY 2007 and 2008 to develop and implement 

cost saving strategies. By the end of FY2009 ―WO Transformation‖ efforts had reduced FTEs by 488 and 

reduced operating costs at these units a total of $107 million.

2008, Human Resources Business Process Reengineering/HR Redesign

Centralized human resource (HR) services to significantly improve efficiency and effectiveness. 

Continuous process improvement initiated in FY 2010 to provide HR presence in the field and support 

line leadership to fulfill management responsibilities for staffing, labor and employee relations. HR 

redesign has not provided significant savings through FTE reduction, however the agency has achieved 

efficiency in processes such as significantly streamlining the onboarding process (Forest Service hires up 

to 15,000 seasonal workers within a three week period); providing new employees with secure computer 

access in 72 hours compared to up to six weeks prior to centralization; reducing the number of days it 

takes to advertise and fill positions, from over 130 days to an average of 70 days; designed and delivered 

electronic records systems so all employees have access to their Official Personnel File eliminating the 

burdensome record keeping of paper copies; and led Department efforts to develop and implement an 

enterprise ―One USDA‖ core Human Resources Business Process Requirements Library.

2010, Data Center Consolidations

Multi-year migration of unstructured data and applications from dispersed small data centers to a 

centralized data center hosted in Kansas City to reduce costs for software, maintenance, security and 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Special Exhibits 14 - 36

support. Cost savings in FY2012 are $15 million over legacy systems with an additional $13 million in 

cost savings expected in FY2013. Additional savings through cost avoidance (storage, electricity, travel, 

and contract costs) are estimated at $27 million.

2010, Sustainable Operations

Based on several new laws, regulations, and executive orders; established reducing environmental 

footprint as a priority and implemented best practices to conserve energy and water, reduce transportation 

costs, recycle, and purchase green products. 

2011, Forest Service Acquisition Savings Advisory Team and award program for producing savings 

Forest Service Savings Techniques (FAST) are submitted and then collected for training and best 

practice. The program looks not only for savings but also cost avoidance in the out years as evidence of 

meeting the USDA goal of $90 million annually. In FY 2011 the Forest Service achieved $79 million in 

current year savings and future year cost avoidance through negotiation, reverse auction, changes in 

contract type, competition, and decisions to discontinue th service/supply.

2011, Reductions in Cost Pools

Reduced actual cost pool ceiling for the agency from $1.088 billion to $1.057 billion in FY 2011. 

Reductions were achieved through the completion of the data center migration and leadership decisions to 

reduce funding for activities such as increasing the life cycle for computer replacements from four years 

to six years in order to reduce annual replacement costs. 

FY 2012 and FY 2013 Program Changes

In FY 2012, we anticipate savings or further costs avoidance in cost pool funded activities due to 

implementation of the President‘s Executive Order, Promoting Efficient Spending, and department-wide 

initiatives to provide for more efficient operations within our administrative activities. These savings will 

begin to be realized in FY 2013. Refer to the Cost Pools special exhibit for more detail on cost pools. 

The agency is also on track to achieve a targeted savings of $44 million in FY 2012 through reduced 

travel expenses and new acquisition management procedures (strategic sourcing, performance-based 

contracts, and training in the acquisition community) initiated in FY 2011. Our $44 million reduction 

constitutes more than half of USDA‘s $80.9 million in expected administrative savings. Savings will 

accrue from bundling telephone contracts, converting to more performance based contracting, reduced 

travel, and increasing computer life cycle replacement.

To implement the new Promoting Efficient Spending Executive Order, the agency will implement 

reductions for no less than 20 percent of the FY 2010 levels in FY 2013 for the following activities: 

travel, employee technology devices, printing, advisory contracts and extraneous promotional items. The 

Forest Service has identified potential savings in these categories. Examples include the reduction of 

network printers, more efficient management of blackberry and smartphone support and extending the 

device replacement cycle from four to six years. 

Specifically, the Forest Service has sought to follow a four-year lifecycle management (LCM) 

replacement plan for all desktop and laptop devices; reduced budgets since FY 2010 have required 

stretching the life of personal computers (PC) to a six-year replacement cycle. The FY 2010 budget 

already reduced the cost of replacing the 10,000 PCs required in a four-year LCM program. In addition, 

all replacements are laptops unless unique processing requirements are shown for purchasing a desktop 

system. Although the effort to extend the life cycle replacement of PCs started in FY 2010, we have 

continued to also reduce our overall PC replacement budget in each fiscal year. An increased 

replacement cycle would equate to replacing 8,000 PCs per year. In FY 2011 we replaced 7,000, and FY
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Special Exhibits 14 - 37

2012 targets are 5,000. FY 2013 will be the same or less. We also are augmenting the replacement cycle 

in FY 2012 and FY 2013 by purchasing less expensive tablet devices as the single device for many 

employees. This technology represents a savings of $500 per unit. We are also continuing analysis of 

virtualized PCs and thin client devices and plan to implement in FY 2013 some form of utilizing nonstandard Forest Service devices to further reduce costs.

In FY 2013, the agency also anticipates gaining organizational efficiencies and reductions in 

organizational costs through coordinated strategies and efforts with other USDA agencies being 

developed under the USDA Strengthening Service Initiative. The first phase will focus on administrative 

solutions that will reduce redundancies and take advantage of existing resources across the 29 USDA 

agencies. The conversion to more e-processes to improve efficiency, eliminate paper and reduce total 

transaction costs are just a few examples where continuous process improvement will be an integral part 

of the strategies developed. Opportunities to reduce the workforce through attrition, voluntary early 

retirement authority (VERA) and voluntary separation incentive payments (VSIP) will be considered in 

the organizational review. Refer to the Strengthening Service special exhibit for more information. 

In addition to agency efforts in implementing the Promoting Effective Spending Executive Order and the 

USDA Strengthening Service Project, we are undertaking a focused effort to reduce agency-wide cost 

pools by $100 million by FY 2014. For FY 2013, activities slated for potential cost pool savings include: 

vehicle fleet management ($5 million); administrative facility lease review ($5 million); energy savings 

through sustainable operations ($5 million); strategic acquisition management focusing on advisory 

contracts ($20 million); and Information Technology improvements ($25 million). The IT efficiencies 

include bundling contracts to larger geographic areas to significantly reduce the number of contracts; 

right-sizing employee communication and IT devices; and strategic sourcing and department wide 

purchasing. In our reduced budget environment, process improvements and efficiencies in operations will 

allow for the avoidance of increased future costs; and allow us to more effectively accomplish our agency 

mission. 

Managing Our Workforce

The agency is also closely managing the size of our workforce to meet our mission critical work and 

control costs. We have been aggressive with both administrative consolidations and reorganizations as the 

needs of the agency have changed. These administrative consolidations and reorganizations have occurred 

at all levels of the agency with the goal of finding the most efficient organizations to support 

accomplishing land management activities on the ground and delivering services to the public. At the 

same time, we must comply with federal laws and sound management principles such as clean financial 

audits and federal employment regulations.

Since 2001, more than 200 organizational changes have been implemented to reorganize our organization 

and refocus our work in the most advantageous way. These organizational change activities have involved 

a staff group in the Washington or Regional Offices, consolidating National Forests or Research Stations, 

or zoning administrative or technical services to cover broader geographic areas. These organizational 

changes have involved a wide variation in numbers of affected employees from five or six individual 

employees to hundreds of employees. Reorganization is a general term for any type of organizational 

design change to the existing organizational structure. Reorganizations include redesigns, or changing the 

current way of doing business, consolidations, or combining offices or functions, and centralizations, 

combining many functional offices into one central office. 

The following graph illustrates reorganizations from FY 2001 to FY 2011. On average, 38 reorganization 

efforts have occurred per year for FY 2008 to 2011. During the 10 years from 2001 to 2011, at the Ranger 

District (RD) level, 16 of the 25 reorganizations were consolidations of Ranger Districts. In most cases 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Special Exhibits 14 - 38

the consolidations were two RDs into one. In a few cases on the larger National Forests, the 

consolidations were from five or six RDs into three. All RD consolidations would result in reducing the 

FTEs, probably in management and administration of the new RD.

These reorganization efforts include examples at all levels and deputy areas in the agency. In addition to 

the agency-wide examples listed earlier in the highlights, additional examples follow. 

Research and Development merger to form the Northern Research Station 

Beginning in 2007, the Forest Service merged two small research stations into a larger, more efficient and 

more productive research station called the Northern Research Station. The merger strengthened our 

ability to do research promoting the long-term health and productivity of natural resources in a region that 

extends from Maine to Minnesota and from Missouri to Maryland along the rural to urban gradient. 

Combining the two stations reduced overhead, eliminated duplicative services, and created efficiencies in 

science delivery, thereby reducing our costs by approximately $1 million a year. Through the merger, ten 

managerial and administrative positions were eliminated along with another eight administrative support 

positions being eliminated when the science projects were reorganized from 37 across the two stations to 

13 in the new station.

The Northern Research Station has its roots in two research stations: the Northeast Research Station 

included 13 states and had headquarters in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania; the North Central Research 

Station was headquartered in St. Paul, Minn., and included seven states. The new Northern Research 

Station includes 20 research facilities across a 20-state region that is the most densely forested and most 

populated part of the nation. Our headquarters are in Newtown Square, PA. The "old Northeast" and "the 

old North Central" were both respected in the scientific community and produced quality work on a wide 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Special Exhibits 14 - 39

range of topics. When we contemplated the future, we saw that merging the Northeast and North Central 

Stations would vastly expand opportunities to pursue needed research, create new synergies among our 

scientists and would be more efficient than operating two separate stations.

Our work on forests is important for people and communities, regardless of whether they live in a rural or 

urban setting. Our connections within the science community grew following the merger, creating new 

partnerships and links that expand the scope of our research and give our scientists an opportunity to play 

a part in the research being conducted across the globe. The merger that created the Northern Research 

Station also demonstrates that we have the foresight and the will to change our organization when we see 

a better way to serve people and the environment.

Centralized National Operations for Minerals and Geology Management

During the WO-RO-Northeast Area Transformation effort discussed previously, the Minerals and 

Geology Management (M&GM) staff analyzed the opportunities to reduce the organization at the 

Washington and Regional levels to provide more resources at the Forest and District levels. In 2007, 

M&GM focused on the transformation objectives of addressing increasing fixed cost and flat budget 

projections, targeting 25 percent reduction at the WO and RO levels, and minimizing the impact or 

burden shift to Forests or Districts. To meet the 25 percent reduction target, the Regions could no longer 

afford a program manager for each of the five M&GM programs, and worked across and eliminated 

constraints of the Regional boundaries. Also, the M&GM program oversight and direction by the WO and 

RO was blended.

The new M&GM organization created a Centralized National Operations (CNO) group implemented in 

2009 with 15 FTEs reduced for the new organization from the earlier organization and over 25 percent 

costs reduced. The resulting organization essentially collapsed the WO/RO levels into one, and has 

leadership positions supervising policy, oversight and direction for program areas. New Regional 

Liaisons (one per Region) are the communication link for the CNO, ROs and Forests, and transferring 

technology and information. A third group of staff in the CNO are the Subject Matter Experts (SMEs). 

These SMEs do project level work and are now available to any Forest or District needing their particular 

expertise. A Board of Directors consisting of nine Regional Directors and the Director of the CNO 

provide oversight, ensure the operation is a partnership not a stovepipe, and monitor performance of the 

new CNO with adjustments expected for continuous improvement. In addition, Service Agreements with 

the Regional Foresters have been developed to establish roles and responsibilities.

National Forest consolidation – Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests, Idaho

The Clearwater and Nez Perce National Forests are located in the same geographic area—north-central 

Idaho—and share many of the same public groups and issues. In the mid-90‘s, the ―shared leadership‖ 

concept was implemented beginning with sharing of resource specialists (e.g., wild and scenic rivers, 

tribal relations, etc.) and a zoned fire organization, and now includes combined leadership at the Forest 

Leadership Team level. Since the ―shared leadership‖ concept was formally adopted by the two Forests in 

FY 2009, there has been a decrease of 15 permanent FTEs resulting in an estimated savings of $1.2 

million. To meet the continued funding challenges, the Clearwater and Nez Perce National Forests are 

consolidating into one unit to provide better public service and consistent land management in northcentral Idaho. By sharing resources through consolidation, the forests will be able to maintain expertise 

and provide cost-effective services and land management. 

The Forests are working to address concerns associated with the proposal including increased driving 

distances and times for employees and challenges associated with fewer opportunities for face-to-face 

interaction through solutions such as video conferencing and alternate work locations. The Forests have 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Special Exhibits 14 - 40

engaged employees and the public in developing a proposal for administrative consolidation. The 

proposal will continue the reduction in workforce from a high of 372 FTE in FY 2001 to 284 in FY 2011 

with the ultimate goal of 278.5 permanent FTEs organized into three geographic zones. All ranger district 

offices would be retained with the location of a single Supervisor‘s Office to be determined. There will be 

continued FS presence in all communities that currently have offices. Savings resulting from the 

administrative combination will be applied to on-the-ground management, public service, and 

streamlining of administrative functions. A final proposal for administrative consolidation was submitted 

in mid-December 2011, and is currently under review.

Shared Regional Programs 

Regional Offices across the country share a wide range of leadership, technical expertise and processing 

of specialized data as a strategy for gaining efficiencies. By broadening the geographic responsibility of 

leadership or expertise, more forests can receive critical expertise for projects without maintaining 

permanent employees. Many of the reorganizations shown above at the Region/Station/Headquarters were 

done to create these shared services to gain efficiencies. The list of shared positions and offices below is 

not a complete list, but a sampling from across the country.

Regions 1 and 4 share Acquisition Management (AQM) and S&PF Directors and Deputy 

Directors. 

Regions 1 and 10 share Civil Rights Director.

Regions 1, 2, 3, and 4 share the Hydropower and Ditch Bill staff groups.

Regions 1, 2, 3, 4, 6 and Rocky Mountain and Pacific Northwest Research Stations share the 

Western Collective for Sustainability (Operations).

Regions 2 and 4 share a Civil Rights Director.

Regions 6 and 10 share an S&PF Director. 

Regions 6 and 10 share a complete engineering staff, and have two separate Directors of 

Engineering. 

Region 6 and the Pacific Northwest Research Station have an extensive shared services 

agreement for a variety of administrative functions including financial assistance, AQM, 

contracting, special uses and office services.

Region 5 and the Washington Office Engineering Staff share an Assistant Director. 

Regions 8 and 9 share program specialists and managers including: leasing officer and assistant, 

quarters management; range conservationist; mensurationist; tree climbing and saws; Recreation 

Reservation Service; and stewardship contracting.

Regions 8 and 9, along with the Northern Research Station and Northeastern Area share a 

Conflict Management Resolution position. 

Region 10 has combined Directors within the region: the new Operations Director is a 

combination of the previous AQM and Program Budget Analysis Director positions.

Northern Research Station and Northeastern Area have a shared Services Agreement covering 

Business Operations including General Administrative Management, Contracting/Procurement, 

Property Management, Engineering, Facility Management, Safety and Health, Fleet Management, 

and Records Management/FOIA. 

Two or more Regions share specialized technical expertise such as: Dam, Tramway, Ropeway 

and Structural Engineers; Paleontologist; Appraisers; Air Quality and Forest Geneticists.

The Forest Service has been aggressively managing its workforce to meet changing national program 

priorities and budget levels, especially in recent years. We will continue to do so, to be the most efficient 

at the top of the agency and with our management processes to maximize funding to projects and services 

to meet our mission.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Special Exhibits 14 - 41

Staffing Levels and Distribution 

The graph below illustrates the budget and staff years for the agency in recent years. 

Forest Service Budget and Staff Years FY 2001 to FY 2012 (Discretionary and Mandatory)

The distribution of staff to accomplish field level work and support this work at all levels has been and 

continues to be a primary consideration in all these reorganization and restructuring efforts. Zoning across 

geographic units or centralizing services provides more consistent approaches and cost-effective services 

in several functions such as administration, fleet management, contracting, and specialized skills such as 

engineering, land surveys, and minerals administration. At every opportunity, leadership is actively 

engaging in making incremental adjustments to meet reduced budgets while balancing gains in flexibility 

and greater efficiencies. The emphasis continues to be on maintaining the field-level staffing and 

presence. 

The following pie charts illustrate changes in the percentage of the workforce at the four levels of the 

agency in FY 2007 and FY 2013. These percentages are based on full-time-equivalents (FTEs) calculated 

at the four main levels of the Forest Service.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Special Exhibits 14 - 42

Typically, the Washington Office is considered non-field going and the rest of the agency is referred to as 

―the field.‖ The Regional Offices and Research Stations, however, may also be considered non-field 

going depending on the context. Non-field units are not strictly overhead. These levels of the organization 

include technical expertise and provide essential organization services, such as national-level analyses, 

interagency collaboration and HR services. 

From 2007 to 2013, the percentage of staff in the Washington Office (including detached staff in virtual 

locations and also Centralized Business Services) is virtually the same (10-11%). The largest part of the 

workforce (89-90%) is at the field level. The percent of the workforce at both the Washington Office 

essentially the same from 2007 to the 2013 estimate. The one percent increase is attributable to the FTE‘s 

added at the Albuquerque Service Center for implementing the HR Redesign described above. 

Since 2007, the combined total of Washington Office, Regional Office and Research Stations staffing has 

declined about four percent (estimates for FY 2013). In this same time period, a five percent shift in 

workforce occurred from the Regional Offices and Research Stations to the Forest level. Placement of 

specialized technical and administrative support at Forests accounts for this shift, allowing better 

matching of geographic coverage with funding levels. Ranger District staffing continues to comprise the 

largest unit of the organization (50-51%), remaining essentially level from 2007 to 20013.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Special Exhibits 14 - 43

Facilities Maintenance Assessment

Overview

In FY 2006, Congress authorized a multi-program assessment for maintenance of agency-owned 

buildings; fire, administrative, and other (FA&O) facilities, including recreation visitor centers (Title III, 

Administrative Provisions, P.L. 109-54). Appropriated funds from Forest and Rangeland Research, State 

and Private Forestry, National Forest System, Wildland Fire Management, Capital Improvement and 

Maintenance, Land Acquisition, Other Appropriations, and eligible Permanent and Trust Fund accounts 

were assessed up to $35 million. 

In 2011, the assessment was $54 million. FA&O facilities include: fire facilities, such as air tanker bases, 

lookouts, airports, heliports, and fire management centers; administrative facilities, such as administrative 

offices (ranger district offices, forest supervisor offices, regional offices, research stations and 

laboratories), service centers, storage buildings, and nurseries; and other facilities, such as 

telecommunication facilities, towers, dams, and recreation visitor centers. Maintenance costs under 

$250,000 for these facilities come from funds collected by this assessment. Maintenance for FA&O and 

recreation visitor centers greater than $250,000 is funded through the Capital Improvement and 

Maintenance Facilities budget line item and is shown on the Facilities Major Project List in that section.

The Forest Service currently maintains approximately 15,931 FA&O buildings, totaling approximately 

22.3 million square feet. The agency also maintains an inventory of approximately 1,700 Forest Service 

owned and special use permitted dams and numerous other facilities such as water and wastewater 

systems and communication facilities. The current inventory is a legacy of former management needs and 

practices with many facilities in disrepair as evidenced by a significant deferred maintenance backlog. 

Prior to new authorities authorized in FY 2006, the agency lacked direct incentives or capacity to reduce 

inventory and thus reduce maintenance backlog. 

Using a program assessment to fund facility maintenance provides an incentive to dispose of surplus 

buildings and provide a restraint on new construction, because the cost of facilities maintenance is borne 

by an assessment of program funds. This provides financial accountability to represent the cost of 

conducting business operations for land management purposes.

Federal mandates such as the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 and Energy Policy Act of 

2005 in combination with Executive Orders 13514 and 13423 require energy, water, and other 

environmental impact reductions. Facilities Maintenance Assessment funds are also used to accomplish 

the following:

Conduct energy and water efficiency evaluations to identify energy and water conservation 

measures per the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, and to reduce building energy 

intensity to meet green house gas emission targets per EO 13514

Conduct assessments of existing buildings and incorporate necessary improvements to existing 

buildings to meet the Guiding Principles per EO 13514

Install renewable energy sources where economically feasible per the Energy Policy Act (EPAct) 

2005

Install advanced metering systems to measure, verify and improve utility consumption per EPAct

Decommission or dispose of surplus facilities thereby reducing deferred maintenance and square 

footage requiring maintenance
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Special Exhibits 14 - 44

Assessments and Allocations

The FY 2012 facilities maintenance assessment was based on the final FY 2011 square footage of 

approximately 22.3 million square feet. Assessments are distributed across eligible budget line items 

based on each program‘s prior year direct labor hour charges. In FY 2012, each unit (Region, Station, or 

other units) requested assessments totaling $55 million. The assessment varies from a minimum of 

$1.45/sq. ft. up to $5.54/sq. ft., which falls within the limits of 4 percent of the facility replacement value 

and $7 per square foot. 

In FY 2013, the Forest Service proposes to assess programs up to $55 million. 

The assessment by region and program will be based on the final FY 2012 square footage. Consistent 

with FY 2012, the assessed amount is limited to 4 percent of the facility replacement value and $7 per 

square foot. We will base allocations on each unit‘s requested assessment amounts.

The following tables display the FY 2012 initial allocations by unit, as well as the distribution of the 

assessment by program for $55 million.

 

FY 2012 Facilities Maintenance Initial Assessment and Allocation by Unit (dollars in thousands)

Unit Name

Total Gross 

Square Feet 

(GSF) 

as of 11/30/11

Dollars ($)

per

GSF

Total

Initial Assessment

Total

Initial Allocation

Northern Region 2,261,548 $2.41 5,453 $5,453

Rocky Mountain Region 1,347,739 2.51 3,381 3,381

Southwestern Region 1,562,536 3.97 6,200 6,200

Intermountain Region 1,980,026 2.31 4,571 4,571

Pacific Southwest Region 3,740,212 2.30 8,600 8,600

Pacific Northwest Region 3,782,411 2.39 9,053 9,053

Southern Region 1,916,604 2.61 5,000 5,000

Eastern Region 2,718,971 2.21 6,000 6,000

Alaska Region 544,450 4.09 2,229 2,229

Region Subtotal 19,854,497 2.54 avg. 50,487 50,487

Forest Products Lab 397,473 1.48 588 588

Int. Inst. Of Tropical Forestry 27,012 2.33 63 63

Rocky Mountain Station 414,094 1.99 824 824

Northern Station 484,712 1.51 731 731

Pacific Northwest Station 277,318 2.05 568 568

Pacific Southwest Station 240,356 1.47 353 353

Southern Research Station 446,074 1.99 888 888

Research Station Subtotal 2,287,039 1.76 avg. 4,015 4,015

San Dimas Tech. Dev. Center 32,495 5.54 180 180

Missoula Tech. Dev. Center 71,715 1.48 106 106

Grey Towers 34,375 3.34 115 115

Wood Education 66,691 1.45 97 97

Other Units Subtotal 205,276 2.43 avg. 498 498

TOTAL 22,346,812 $2.46 avg. $55,000 $55,000
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Special Exhibits 14 - 45

FY 2013 Facilities Maintenance Assessment by Program 

(dollars in thousands)

Program FY 2013 President’s 

Budget Assessment

Forest and Rangeland Research $3,613 

State & Private Forestry 785 

International Forestry 0

National Forest System

 Land Management Planning 580 

 Inventory and Monitoring 1,886 

 Recreation, Heritage and Wilderness 5,182 

 Wildlife and Fisheries Habitat Management 2,310 

 Grazing Management 924 

 Forest Products 6,518

 Vegetation and Watershed Management 2,884

 Minerals and Geology Management 1,202

 Landownership Management 1,617

 Law Enforcement 0

 Valles Caldera 0

 Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration 366,

Total National Forest System 23,469

Capital Improvement and Maintenance

 Facilities 1,271

 Roads 3,201

 Trails 1,215

 Legacy Roads and Trails 466

 Deferred Maintenance and Infrastructure Improvement 23

Total Capital Improvement and Maintenance 6,176

Land Acquisition 95

Other Appropriations 54

Fire Operations – Forest Rangeland Research 214

National Fire Plan – Rehabilitation Burned Areas 0

National Fire Plan – Federal Lands 234

National Fire Plan –Cooperative Lands 66

Hazardous Fuels Reduction 4,832

Fire Preparedness 13,635

Wildland Fire Management 18,981

Permanent Appropriations 663

Trust Fund Appropriations 1,164

Total Assessment $55,000

Past Performance

Accomplishments related to buildings and similar structures are included under the Capital Improvement 

and Maintenance Facilities Section. In FY 2011, the agency conducted 106 Operation and Maintenance 

Inspections, 9 Hazard Assessments and 22 Safety Inspections on USDA Forest Service owned dams. All 

of these actions improve health and safety conditions for the public and employees. 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Special Exhibits 14 - 46

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FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Special Exhibits 14 - 47

Fire Transfers

Overview

In FY 2011, the Forest Service did not transfer any funds from other accounts to the Wildland Fire 

Management account. The table below represents accounts from which funds were transferred between 

FY 2002 through FY 2011 and for which funds have not been repaid. From FY 2002 to FY 2011, the 

Forest Service transferred approximately $2.3 billion from discretionary, mandatory, and permanent 

accounts to help cover fire suppression costs. Of that total, $1.85 billion has been repaid. Projects at all 

levels of the organization were deferred as a result of the transfers.

Funds Withdrawn for Transfer for Wildland Fire Suppression 

and Not Repaid from FY 2002 to FY 2011 (dollars in thousands)

Appropriation Amount

Forest & Rangeland Research (FRFR) 

 Funds: Strategic program areas of Forest & Rangeland Research $32

State and Private Forestry (SPSP)

 Funds: Cooperating with and providing assistance to States for 

 forest health, cooperative forestry, education. Also funds 

 international programs 3,099

National Forest System (NFNF) 

 Funds: management, protection, improvement, and utilization of the 

 National Forest System 106,167

Capital Improvements and Maintenance (CMCM) 

 Funds: construction or improvement of roads, trails, and facilities 35,305

Land Acquisitions L&WCF (LALW) and (LAAQ) 

 Funds: Acquisition of land or waters 9,308

Brush Disposal (BDBD)

 Receipts Collected fund: fuel reduction after timber harvest 64

Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Fund (FDFD) 

 Fees collected fund: recreation operation, interpretation, and law 

 enforcement 45

Timber Purchaser Election Road Construction (PEPE)

 Funds: construction or improvement of roads in support of timber 

 harvest by small business operators 10,090

Timber Salvage Sales (SFSF) 

 Funds: analysis, preparation, and offer of salvage sales 112

Working Capital Fund (WCWC) 

 Funds: Replacement and repair of motor vehicles, nursery services, 

 enterprise services. 86,029

Cooperative Work, Knutson-Vandenburg (CWKV)

 Receipts Collected fund: reforestation, wildlife habitat, and fuels as 

 identified in project planning 33,000

Wildland Fire Preparedness (WFPR)* 93,786

Forest Land Enhancement Program (FLEP)* 40,032

Total $417,069

 *Not intended for repayment.

If repaid, funds would be used based on their initial appropriation account as displayed above. For more 

detailed information on projects and programs please see the appropriate section of the Budget 

Justification.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Special Exhibits 14 - 48

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FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Special Exhibits 14 - 49

Knutson-Vandenberg (K-V) Financial Status

Overview

The Forest Service has used authority provided in the annual Interior and Related Agencies 

Appropriations Acts to transfer, from any appropriations or funds available to the Forest Service, 

necessary amounts to support emergency fire suppression requirements. The agency has historically 

transferred funds available to us through the Knutson-Vandenberg (K-V) Fund (a fund authorized in P.L. 

71-319). The Fund provides money from timber purchasers to reforest and perform other natural resource 

improvements on their timber sale areas. As provided by section 412 of P.L. 109-54, K-V receipts are 

also used for forest restoration work in the region in which the receipts were collected. 

The K-V Act provides that any deposit found to be in excess of the cost of doing the work shall be 

returned to the Treasury, provided there are no outstanding unreimbursed fire suppression transfers. At 

this time there are no excess receipts identified within the K-V fund, therefore the repayment of the 

outstanding transfers is needed for resource work. If the $33 million is not fully repaid, critical resource 

improvement work, such as, treating noxious weeds, reforestation, reducing hazardous fuels, and 

improving habitat for threatened and endangered species, will be deferred or will have to be funded with 

appropriated funds.

The following table displays the repayment status of the K-V Fund:

Repayments to the Knutson-Vandenberg Fund (dollars in thousands)

Repayment Status FY 2007 FY 2008 FY 2009 FY 2010 FY 2011

FY 

2012* FY 2013*

Amount Owed to K-V Fund 

from Prior Year $159,000** $159,000 $163,000 $33,000 $33,000 $33,000 $33,000

Transfers from K-V Fund

(+) 0 30,000 0 0 0 0 0

K-V Fund Repayment (-) 0 26,000 130,000 0 0 0 0

Balance Outstanding $159,000 $163,000 $33,000 $33,000 $33,000 $33,000 $33,000

* As of date of publication.

** Transferred from K-V Fund in FY 2006
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Special Exhibits 14 - 50

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FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Special Exhibits 14 - 51

National Scenic and Historic Trails

Overview

Since the enactment of the National Trails System Act in 1968, the Forest Service has designated trail 

coordinators or administrators for seven National Scenic and Historic Trails (NS&HT): Appalachian, 

Arizona, Continental Divide, Florida, Nez Perce (Nee Mee Poo), Pacific Crest, and Pacific Northwest. In 

addition, the Forest Service manages portions of 15 additional NS&HTs on National Forest System (NFS) 

lands, in cooperation with the Department of the Interior, State and County governments, and private 

entities. Funding for administration and management of these trails is included within the Capital 

Improvement and Maintenance - Trails budget line item. Acquisition of trail segments is included within 

the Land Acquisition budget line item.

Trail Work on the Continental Divide Trail

Appalachian National Scenic Trail (AT)

This 2,176-mile footpath crosses along the ridgecrests and across the major valleys of the Appalachian 

Mountains from Mt. Katahdin in Maine to Springer Mountain in northern Georgia. The trail traverses 

Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, 

Maryland, West Virginia, Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina, and Georgia. The trail is used by day, 

weekend, and other short-term hikers, section-hikers, and through-hikers who hike the entire length of the 

trail in one season. The trail is currently protected along more than 99 percent of its course by Federal or 

State ownership or rights-of-way.

Arizona National Scenic Trail (ANST)

Designated on March 30, 2009 through the Omnibus Public Land Management Act, the ANST extends 

807 miles across the State of Arizona from the United States-Mexico border to the Arizona-Utah border. 

The national forests through which the trail runs have been working closely with the Arizona trails 

Association (ATA) in addressing construction needs to fill in gaps on the trail. The agency has established 

a trail Administrator position for the trail and is starting development of a comprehensive resource 

management plan.

BEFORE AFTER
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Special Exhibits 14 - 52

Continental Divide National Scenic Trail (CDT)

Designated on November 10, 1978, the CDT is a nationally significant resource providing long distance 

trail opportunities primarily for hiking and horseback riding recreationists. The trail‘s corridor links 

Federal, State, and private lands from Mexico to Canada, passing through 25 national forests, 3 national 

parks, 1 national monument, and 8 Bureau of Land Management (BLM) field office areas. When 

completed, the trail will be approximately 3,100 miles in length. 

Florida National Scenic Trail (FNST) 

Added to the national trails system in 1983, the FNST consists of 1,400 planned miles stretching from Big 

Cypress National Preserve to Gulf Islands National Seashore plus 254 miles of an officially designated 

side trail. The FNST is the only national scenic trail that gives the public the opportunity to experience a 

wide range of subtropical environments, karst spring and riverine systems, and a beach walk on a national 

seashore. 

Nez Perce National Historic Trail (NPNHT)

In 1986 Congress acknowledged the significance of the Nez Perce Conflict of 1877 by establishing the 

1,170 mile NPNHT. The route winds through remote, rugged, and scenic terrain. While 865 miles of the 

trail is an automobile tour route, many miles are accessible only by foot and have changed very little in 

over a century. 

Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail (PCT)

The PCT is a 2,650-mile congressionally designated trail that follows the crest of the Sierra Nevada and 

Cascade Mountain ranges from the Mexican to Canadian borders through California (CA), Oregon (OR), 

and Washington (WA). Established in 1968, the trail was completed in 1993 and lies within publicly 

owned lands except for approximately 300 miles where it crosses private lands (easements have been 

acquired for the trail tread). Over the past decade the PCT has become a favorite of thru-hikers and thruriders (horseback) and each year an average of 300 hikers attempt to cover the full length of the trail. 

Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trail (PNNST)

Designated on March 30, 2009 through the Omnibus Public Land Management Act, the PNNST consists 

of approximately 1,200 miles, extending from the Continental Divide in Glacier National Park, Montana, 

to the Pacific Ocean Coast in Olympic National Park, Washington. The PNNST travels through three 

national parks, seven national forests, six Washington State parks, three regions of the Washington 

Department of Natural Resources, land managed by the Idaho Department of Lands, and across land 

managed by a variety of other public and private land owners. A Trail Coordinator started work in FY 

2011 and is working to assemble an interagency planning team to develop a Comprehensive Management 

Plan to guide future management and development of the PNT.

Other National Scenic and Historic Trails (NSHT)

There are an additional 15 national scenic and historic trails totaling over 6,700 miles for which the Forest 

Service coordinates management with other Federal public land agencies. These trails are: California, 

Camino Real Tejas, Camino Tierra Adentro, De Anza, Ice Age, Iditarod, Lewis and Clark, Mormon 

Pioneer, North Country, Old Spanish, Oregon, Overmountain Victory, Pony Express, Santa Fe, and Trail 

of Tears. 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Special Exhibits 14 - 53

FY 2011 – FY2013 Allocation by Trail (dollars in thousands)

FY 2011 FY 2012 FY 2013

Trails Land Partner* Total Trails Land Total Trails Land Total Acq. Acq. Acq.

Appalachian $193 $0 $1,712 $1,905 $193 $0 $193 $193 $0 $193 

Arizona 175 0 748 923 175 0 175 175 0 175 

Continental 

Divide

2,000 0 483 2,483 2,000 0 2,000 2,000 1,000 3,000 

Florida 1,500 365 0 1,865 1,500 0 1,500 1,500 0 1,500 

Nez Perce 640 0 0 640 640 0 640 640 0 640 

Pacific 

Crest

2,000 0 2,420 4,420 2,000 1,000 2,000 2,000 1,000 3,000 

Pacific 

Northwest

175 0 470 645 175 0 175 175 0 175 

All-others** 822 268 1,090 822 0 822 822 0 822 

TOTAL $7,505 $365 $5,949 $13,971 $7,505 1,000 $7,505 $7,505 $2,000 $9,505

* Estimated cash and in-kind contributions include other agency funds and non-profit contributions. Estimated contributions for 

FY 2012 and FY 2013 are not known at this time.

** All others includes the following national scenic and historic trails: California, Camino Real Tejas, Camino Tierra Adentro, 

De Anza, Ice Age, Iditarod, Lewis and Clark, Mormon Pioneer, North Country, Old Spanish, Oregon, Overmountain Victory, 

Pony Express, Santa Fe, and Trail of Tears.

PCT includes proposed land acquisition funds for FY 12.

Planned Program of Work

For FY 2012 and FY 2013, we will continue to foster and expand partnerships, especially with those 

partners that involve volunteers and youth organizations. We will maintain and operate most trails, 

trailheads, and campgrounds through these efforts. We will also continue to deliver interpretative and 

educational programs and products. 

Specific activities planned in FY 2012 are as follows: 

Appalachian National Scenic Trail 

Partners: Appalachian Trail Conservancy, Appalachian Mountain Club, National Park Service, and other 

Federal, State, and non-governmental organizations.

Green Mountain National Forest: Restore and repair trails, trail bridges, and trailhead parking 

lots damaged by Hurricane Irene. 

White Mountain National Forest: Continue ―Trail to Every Classroom‖ teacher trainings and 

partner with the National Park Service and Appalachian Trail Conservancy to host one teacher 

under the ―Teacher to Ranger to Teacher‖ program. 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Special Exhibits 14 - 54

Arizona National Scenic Trail 

Partners: Arizona Trail Association, tribal governments and other Federal, State, and non-governmental 

organizations.

Conduct public outreach meetings as part of the development of the Comprehensive Management 

Plan and begin NEPA. 

Establish an Advisory Council with other agencies, partners and stakeholders.

Construct 10.4 miles to fill the gaps for a complete connection across Arizona. 

Develop FS-AZNST website

Rehabilitate 64 miles damaged by wildfires

Develop mitigation measures for major mining impacts

Continental Divide National Scenic Trail 

Partners: Continental Divide Trail Association, Colorado Trail Foundation, National Park Service, and 

other Federal, State, and non-governmental organizations.

Develop plans to locate the Trail (scouting and NEPA): 17 miles

Survey and design trail projects: 27 miles

Construction projects: 47 miles

Reconstruction (deferred maintenance): 54 miles

Publish high-quality map books for Montana/Idaho and Wyoming.

Make progress towards meeting the requirements of the National Trails System Act

Florida National Scenic Trail 

Partners: Florida Trail Association, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and other Federal, State, and nongovernmental organizations.

Develop partnership agreements in support of the 

Five Year Strategic Plan goals and objectives.

Complete GPS line of FNST making it available 

on-line for download or through interactive partner 

websites.

Go live with new FS-FNST and Florida Trail 

Association websites.

Nez Perce National Historic Trail (Nee-Me-Poo)

Partners: Nez Perce Trail Foundation, National Park 

Service, Backcountry Horsemen of America, tribal 

governments and other Federal, State, and nongovernmental organizations.

Continue work on revision of the Trail‘s 1990 

Comprehensive Management Plan.

Convert four Auto Tour routes to Google Earth.

Youth Crew Works on Weitas Puncheon 

Boardwalk on NPNHT

In 2010, the crew started to tear out section of the 

puncheon bridge, a dirt path covered with a series of 

planks. They are rebuilding the structure to widen 

access, install hand rails, and make this portion of the 

Trail more accessible and horse-friendly. The crew 

finished the 390 foot bridge in 2011.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Special Exhibits 14 - 55

Continue coordination with two national parks; four regions of the Forest Service including eight 

national forests; U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service; Bureau of Land Management; State parks in 

Oregon, Idaho, Washington, Montana, Oklahoma; multiple chapters of Backcountry Horsemen of 

America; Tribal Governments; State and County Governments; and non-governmental 

organizations.

Continue development of website. 

Continue NPNHT CCS Program to further levarage Federal dollars.

Complete Auto Tour Brochures number six and eight.

Continue to support the Nez Perce Trail Foundation to develop chapters and additional 

partnership/membership along the Trail.

Develop teaching tools for the public to further emphasize and highlight the significance of the 

NPNHT.

Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail 

Partners: Pacific Crest Trail Association, California Conservation Corps, Northwest Youth Corps, 

Student Conservation Association, Backcountry Horsemen of California, and other Federal, State, and 

non-governmental organizations.

Continue support and expansion of traditional skills training for volunteers and agency staff in 

CA, WA, and OR including crosscut saws and horse packing.

Interdisciplinary team will develop planning for management of the PCT. The team will initially 

work on Forest Service direction but will collaborate with other Federal agencies to ensure 

integrated planning efforts.

Continue coordination with 26 national forests, six national parks, CA State parks, Bureau of 

Land Management Lands (CA/OR), Warm Springs and Yakama Indian Reservations, three 

National Monuments and a National Scenic Area, and Manning Provincial Park (British 

Columbia).

Complete an interagency/partner program review of corridor acquisition needs/strategy and 

easement management.

Continue priority land acquisition work along the PCT Corridor. Outreach to Priority one and 

two parcels owners for the PCT in California to identify potential willing sellers.

Coordinate with BLM and the Pacific Crest Trail Association on an Optimal Location Review of 

the PCT that includes the southern terminus.

Develop webinar and teaching tools for agency staff and line officers on the PCT and 

management consideration. Continue website development.

Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trail 

Partners: Pacific Northwest Trail Association, tribal governments and other Federal, State, and nongovernmental organizations.

Continue development of the Comprehensive Management Plan for the trail to provide consistent 

policy and direction for trail development and management.

Continue to increase the involvement of volunteers and the Service-Knowledge-Youth programs 

in the development and maintenance of the trail.

Work with the University of Washington and Western Washington University to increase 

academic study and research on the trail and as part of the Comprehensive Management Plan 

development
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Special Exhibits 14 - 56

Develop plans for locating 60 miles, constructing 20 miles, reconstructing 42 miles, and 

maintaining 320 miles of trail.

Other National Scenic and Historic Trails

Partners: Numerous foundations, trail associations, tribal governments, and other Federal, State, and nongovernmental organizations.

Ice Age Trail – A major crossing of the South Fork of the Yellow River that has never had a bridge 

installed was reviewed by Forest Watershed Specialists, Engineers, and Recreation Planners. As a 

result of the findings a major re-route of the trail was proposed and awarded as a Resource Advisory 

Committee project. This project is being implemented in the spring of 2012 and consists of both 

partnership (Ice Age Trail Alliance) and forest funding. Combined contributions come to a total 

project cost of $128,362.48 and will expand the length of the Ice Age National Scenic Trail by 0.9 of 

a mile.

Lewis and Clark Trail – Maintain and operate the trail, trailheads, interpretive sites, and three 

campgrounds (Lolo National Forest); monitor two historic sites along the trail (Lolo National Forest); 

and provide weed treatment along the trail and at access points.

North Country Trail –Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest: Continue planning work to remove 

blow down from major wind event. Continue to work with engineering staff to determine type of 

design of three bridges along the NCT. Hiawatha National Forest: Replace trail markers on Munising 

Ranger District. Replace approximately one mile of boardwalk across sensitive wetland areas in 

Chippewa County.

Trail of Tears – Develop interpretive plan (Touch the Trail) for southern Illinois Trail of Tears 

(Shawnee National Forest). Finalize and post Trail of Tears information to Mark Twain National 

Forest website (Mark Twain National Forest).

Camino Real de Tierra Adentro NHT – The Santa Fe National Forest is developing interpretive 

messages and signing, in collaboration with NPS, for La Bajada (considered the most geographically 

challenging section of trail near Santa Fe, NM). Santa Fe National Forest Site Steward Program 

recently added segments of the Camino Real de Tierra Adentro to their archaeological site monitoring 

tasks.

Old Spanish NHT – The Carson and Rio Grande National Forests (Regions 3 & 2) have jointly 

funded a STEP education technician to focus on the North Branch of the Old Spanish Trail in 

Northern New Mexico and the San Luis Valley of Colorado. The education technician is developing, 

in partnership with local educators and the OST Assoc., education boxes and programs that meet both 

Colorado and New Mexico State competencies for use by local schools. She is also working closely 

with BLM's CMP Team to develop the trail's management direction. 

Iditarod National Historic Trail – Iditarod Trail to Every Classroom (ITREC!): The Forest Service is 

coordinating iTREC!, a multi-agency sponsored professional teacher training program. This highly 

successful program, now in its 2nd year, currently includes 28 trained and highly creative teachers that 

are reaching over 2,000 K-12 students through effective, sustained place-based service learning in 

schools and communities along the Iditarod National Historic Trail.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Special Exhibits 14 - 57

In addition to iTREC!, improvements continue on the Iditarod National Historic Trail (INHT) including 

the following:

ARRA Trail Construction/Reconstruction: Continued ARRA-funded contract work to 

construct/reconstruct 18 miles of the INHT, expected to be complete in FY 2012.

Bridge Installation: Installed four bridges capable of accommodating snow mobiles and two 

major hiker/pedestrian bridges.

Trailhead Construction: Completed the construction of one new INHT trailhead, including 

parking, toilet and interpretive kiosk.

FY 2011 Program Accomplishments (dollars in thousands)

Location Volunteers

Hours

In-kind 

Contributions

Cash 

Contributions 

Miles of 

Trail 

Maintained

Miles of 

Trail 

Improved

Acres 

Acquired

Major 

Structures 

Constructed 1

Appalachian 82,113 $1,753 $145 1,031 26 0 10

Arizona 19,348 401 87 140 26 0 0

Continental 

Divide

21,296 465 18 784 112 0 1

Florida 56,700 1,211 0 1,077 17 73 4

Nez Perce 75,200 1,606 144 99 1.5 0 12

Pacific Crest 99,343 2,122 300 1,027 73 0 6

Pacific 

Northwest

26,000 542 262

240 90 0 5

Other 12,504 268 429 295 38 0 61

Total 392,504 $8,368 $1,385 4,693 384 73 99

1 Major structures include bridges, kiosks, boardwalks, campgrounds, etc.

Other only includes accomplishments reporting from Trail of Tears, Ice Age, North Country, Old Spanish, Iditarod, and Camino 

Tierra Adentro.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Special Exhibits 14 - 58

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FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Special Exhibits 14 - 59

Office of General Counsel Reimbursement

Overview

A Forest Service Administrative Provision in the FY 2012 Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2012 (P.L. 

112-74) provides:

―Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any appropriations or funds available 

to the Forest Service not to exceed $500,000 may be used to reimburse the Office of 

the General Counsel (OGC), Department of Agriculture, for travel and related 

expenses incurred as a result of OGC assistance or participation requested by the 

Forest Service at meetings, training sessions, management reviews, land purchase 

negotiations and similar nonlitigation-related matters. Future budget justifications 

for both the Forest Service and the Department of Agriculture should clearly display 

the sums previously transferred and the requested funding transfers.‖

The USDA Office of General Counsel bills the Forest Service quarterly for non litigation travel and 

related costs. The FY 2011 actual total in the table below reflects billings received to date. Final billing 

has not been received from the department.

FY 2011 – FY 2013 OGC Reimbursements 

FY 2011 Actual

Reimbursement

FY 2012 Estimated

Reimbursement

FY 2013 Estimated

Reimbursement

$44,566 $50,000 $50,000
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Special Exhibits 14 - 60

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FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Special Exhibits 14 - 61

Office of Tribal Relations

Overview

The Office of Tribal Relations (OTR) provides policy advice and direction in implementing agency 

programs and activities in a manner that honors Indian treaty rights, fulfills the legally mandated trust 

responsibility of the Forest Service, and maintains a government-to-government relationship with 

federally recognized tribal governments. The OTR supports the mission of all agency programs and 

disciplines through both general and issue-specific efforts. 

The OTR has responsibilities that span all of the Deputy areas within the Forest Service. The Forest 

Service manages National Forest System lands and resources for the benefit of the general public, while 

respecting the special trust relationship of the United States towards the 565 federally recognized tribes. 

Many National Forest System lands are adjacent to American Indian or Alaska Native tribes or tribal 

lands. In some cases, tribal governments retained rights on what are present-day national forests or 

grasslands when the tribes relinquished lands to the United States Government. Additionally, State and 

Private Forestry programs provide assistance to private forest landowners, including tribal governments; 

Research programs include a variety of projects that relate to tribes; and Forest Service Business 

Operations include authorities and responsibilities to work with tribes. 

The OTR supports and integrates Tribal Relations components of policy analysis and development, 

technical, and administrative assistance, training, and oversight. The program also advises national and 

regional Forest Service leadership in matters pertaining to interactions with tribes and tribal 

representatives. The OTR also helps develop regulations for and tracks implementation of the Tribal 

Relations components of specific legislation, including the Farm Bill and the Tribal Forest Protection Act. 

Allocation and Integration

The OTR is funded by a direct cost pool (Cost Pool 12), using all of the funds available to the Forest 

Service. Specific projects are funded by the primary purpose of the projects.

Partnerships

The OTR works within the goals and alignments established in the Tribal Relations Program Strategic 

Plan to:

Ensure the agency redeems its trust responsibility and protects American Indian and Alaska 

Native reserved rights as they pertain to Forest Service programs, projects, and policies;

Leverage partnerships to maximize mutual success;

Promote integration and utility of the Tribal Relations Program throughout the agency; and

Support specific strategic goals and objectives of the Forest Service

In order to accomplish these goals, the OTR works to leverage partnerships through close 

collaboration between internal units, tribal governments, intertribal organizations, and other 

Federal and State agencies. 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Special Exhibits 14 - 62

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FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Special Exhibits 14 - 63

Partnerships

Overview

For over a century, the Forest Service has maintained a commitment to working with a variety of 

organizations and interests while fulfilling its mission of  ̳caring for the land and serving people.‘ As the 

complexity surrounding the management of public lands increases, partnerships continue to be an 

essential mechanism for achieving social, economic and ecological goals associated with these lands. In 

FY 2011, over 7,800 grants and agreements were made to partners and almost $664 million in Forest 

Service funds were matched with $616 million from partners. The attached exhibits describe these grants 

and agreements in greater detail. Through these important relationships: 

We build stronger communities and healthier ecosystems: sharing resources and expertise to 

achieve sustainable solutions to current and future resource challenges.

We empower employees and partners: improving the art of associating with others, capitalizing 

and sharing information and skills, fostering continued learning and deeper connections between 

people and the land.

We create a more effective and efficient organization: expanding achievements through working 

together and securing or leveraging new and existing sources of support.

The Forest Service exercises many creative and innovative approaches to promote healthy and vibrant 

forests, grasslands, and communities. These opportunities for partner engagement include not only 

funding support, but significant volunteerism and in-kind contributions across the country in areas where 

partner and Forest Service interests intersect. Through such strong and enduring relationships, we are able 

to successfully accomplish far more than we ever could on our own. 

Public-Private Partnerships 

In FY 2013, the Forest Service‘s strategy to increase Public-Private Partnerships is a significant milestone 

for the agency, as our direction emphasizes partnerships and collaboration as the way we do business; 

strengthening critical connections within local communities, ecosystems, and outdoor experiences. Over 

the past several decades, the Forest Service has increasingly accomplished work through partnership and 

collaboration. 

With declining budgets, staff attrition, and hard-hit economies, partnerships and the relationships they 

build are essential to carry out today‘s contemporary conservation missions. Engaging cooperators, 

communities, private landowners, non-profit organizations, citizens and private interests is critical to the 

shared stewardship of our Nation‘s Forests and Grasslands. Collectively, the actions within this strategy 

and the expansion of the volunteer program are expected to significantly increase partner contributions by 

FY 2016.

This new partnership strategy includes: sustaining the current level of relationships and value of

partnerships; cultivating and building new partnerships; and active outreach to specific sectors that are 

high leverage/high potential areas for shared stewardship outcomes. Based on decades of experience, the 

strategy also sets forth: an expansion of successful, smaller-scale projects across larger landscapes; an 

expanded circle of partners reflective of our Country‘s cultural and ethnic diversity; a greater public 

appreciation of ecosystem services and benefits that accrue to communities; and an increased profile and 

engagement with our congressionally chartered foundations – the National Forest Foundation (NFF) and 

the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF). The following goals offer key focus areas of this 

strategy. 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Special Exhibits 14 - 64

Developing and Expanding Contemporary Stewardship Partners

New and emerging partners are inextricably linked to our work through a mutual dependence on the 

benefits and opportunities afforded by healthy forests and headwaters. Through coordinated and expanded 

efforts, we will explore, design, and implement public-private partnerships that facilitate shared 

investments in goods and services associated with public lands. In particular, partnerships will be 

developed around healthy forests and ecological restoration, watershed health and water quality/quantity, 

expanded recreation opportunities and investment in infrastructure, and concerted efforts to connect in 

new ways with youth and underserved populations. 

Expanding the Reach of Our Foundations

In economically challenging times, our congressionally-established foundations continue to help us 

accomplish our mission and expand accomplishments through leveraged investments. The strategy will 

better engage our congressionally established foundations (NFF and NFWF) in several ways, including 

enabling these partners to grow programs that are leveraged through corporate giving in resource areas 

and geographies of highest priority to the agency. 

Expanding Agency Leverage Investment Direction

Given current budget constraints and the magnitude of work needed on and around national forests, it is 

necessary to increase capacity around partnerships and collaborative efforts. To do this, we will put more 

emphasis on and favor projects that are partnership based and that leverage resources. We will establish 

investment strategies that leverage appropriated dollars and ensure that budget allocation and program 

direction best enable current and prospective partnerships, thereby transforming processes and fully 

integrating public private ventures as our standard business practice.

Examples of Public-Private Partnerships Proposed for FY 2013

National Forest Foundation Treasured Landscapes, Unforgettable Experiences Conservation Campaign: 

In FY 2013, we plan to actively engage with the National Forest Foundation as it implements restoration 

projects across its 14 campaign sites and furthers its five-year goal of leveraging $32 million in private 

match toward agency contributions. We will seek to align these campaign sites to correspond with highpriority restoration efforts with current and emerging partners. The Forest Service has committed to a 1:1 

match for non-federal dollars raised for each Treasured Landscapes campaign site.

Rocky Mountain Watershed Protection Partnerships: 

In FY 2013, we plan to continue outreach to municipal water providers and pursue additional investments 

in the protection of water supplies, expanding along the Colorado Front Range. Thus far, three of the five 

major Front Range water utilities; Denver, Aurora and Colorado Springs; have co-invested nearly $34 

million with the Forest Service in forest thinning to reduce wildfire risks. Our strategy is to increase the 

scope of those investments to the entire span of Front Range cities and to substantially increase the 

amount of leveraged investment from those cities and other partners by matching Forest Service funds.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Special Exhibits 14 - 65

Past Performance for Forest Service Partnerships

The following examples represent various challenge cost-share relationships between the Forest Service 

and partners, funded and implemented in FY 2011.

State and Private Forestry

The Value of the Urban Forest Project (Region 9): The Value of the Urban Forest Project is designed to 

provide the public with conservation education and interpretive information about natural resources, 

habitat, and wildlife. The Forest Service has a role in explaining the value of the urban forest, and Detroit 

Zoological Society has the platform and resources to bring such a story to life while reaching a broad and 

diverse audience.

Baltimore Second Harbor Project (Region 9): This project represents a unique partnership between the 

Forest Service, Wildlife Habitat Council, and The Parks and People Foundation. The effort was designed 

to reconnect urban people, places, and wildlife to the Chesapeake Bay through the rehabilitation and 

management of watershed and waterfront industrial lands. The project increases urban tree canopy, 

wildlife habitat, and scenic aesthetics on industrial properties while enhancing water quality in the 

Gwynns Falls watershed.

National Forest System

Selway-Middle Fork Clearwater Project Multi-Party Monitoring (Region 1): Beginning in 2006 a 

consortium of individuals and organizations within the Clearwater Basin of Idaho has been meeting to 

find mutually agreeable solutions to natural resource issues. This consortium of interests formed the 

Clearwater Basin Collaborative (CBC) to identify "zones of agreement" for management and use of the 

Nez Perce and Clearwater National Forests. In August 2010, the Selway-Middle was selected by the 

Secretary of Agriculture as one of the national Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Program 

(CFLRP) program areas. A crucial component of the CFLRP involves a multi-party monitoring, 

evaluation and accountability process to assess the positive or negative ecological, social and economic 

effects of the project. Through this agreement, the Forest Service and the CBC will develop and 

implement an adaptive management framework to ensure that forest restoration treatments meet 

ecological, social, and economic objectives. Multi-party monitoring activities will be conducted both 

before and after treatment applications at regular intervals to determine the response of ecosystem and 

social indicators.

Deschutes Children’s Forest Curriculum Development (Region 6): The Deschutes Children‘s Forest is a 

network of place-based outdoor classrooms managed by a coalition of partners. In this agreement, the 

Bend-La Pine School District is working with the Deschutes National Forest and its partners to develop 

and implement an educational curriculum; offer students field visits, and provide supplies for students to 

conduct studies and restoration work within the Deschutes Children‘s Forest network.

Cave Gating, Mapping and Inventory (Region 9): The McCormic Cave on the Mark Twain National 

Forest currently has a concrete block wall at its entrance, which severely restricts access to the cave by 

bats and other wildlife. Removal of this wall may result in this well-known and accessible cave being 

open to entry by unauthorized persons, increasing potential risks of damage to the resource and public 

safety. In partnership with the Cave Research Foundation, the Forest Service is supporting the design and 

construction of a bat-friendly gate that will help protect the biological and cultural resources within the 

cave. Additional support is also being offered to repair a similar bat-friendly gate on the Onyx Cave and 

to complete important biological surveys and mappings of caves in the Rock Pile Mountain Wilderness.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Special Exhibits 14 - 66

Copper River Delta Shorebird Festival (Region 10): Through this agreement, the Cordova Ranger 

District of the Chugach National Forest has worked closely with the Cordova Chamber of Commerce to 

plan and implement the shorebird festival in Cordova, Alaska. Diverse and varied natural resources 

surround Cordova. The Copper River Delta, in particular, plays a crucial role in shorebird migration, and 

the Shorebird Festival is instrumental in increasing public knowledge of this dynamic ecosystem.

Research and Development

Implementation of the Philadelphia Urban Field Station: In March of 2011, the Forest Service and the 

Pennsylvania Horticultural Society (PHS) created a Philadelphia Urban Field Station (UFS) to foster 

collaboration and promote adaptive management, technology transfer and science to improve people's 

lives and the natural environment in the Philadelphia metropolitan area. Through this agreement, the 

Forest Service and PHS will host a physical office space at the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society's 

headquarters in Philadelphia; build a Forest Service website to disseminate current and future tools, 

information, and research results; coordinate projects; purchase supplies necessary for this project and 

appropriate project delivery; and create applications and coordinating events to target communications 

about scientifically quantifiable benefits of green infrastructure projects in urban areas.

Maintenance and Enhancement of the Protected Area Database (PAD) and the National

Conservation Easement Database (NCED): Starting in 1998, the Conservation Biology Institute (CBI) 

has maintained and enhanced a Protected Areas Database (PAD) for use by land-management agencies 

and the public. Enhanced through an orchestrated government and non-government collaborative, the 

PAD has improved over the years to include more local government and private protected areas, robust 

attribute tables and incorporation of recreation lands. With this most recent investment, CBI intends to 

improve polygon geometry and incorporate input from regional and integrate the product with the 

National Conservation Easement Database (NCED), resulting in unique and comprehensive planning, 

decision-making, and research tool.

Ecology through Dance - The Body as a Moving Field Guide: This project aims to introduce underserved 

youth in inner cities to the natural environment that surrounds them through an innovative approach of 

creating a field guide through their own bodily movement. Focused on low-income youth in the 

Baltimore and Washington, DC metro regions, the project will create a collection of dance-based 

representations of park ecology—drawing on images, descriptions, and scientific language to generate the 

material for ―field guides.‖ Participants will then use their observation tools and guides to introduce 

elementary school students and other family members to the flora and fauna of Rock Creek Park or 

Gwynn's Falls/Leakin Park during a nature walk.

National Forest Foundation

As the congressionally chartered nonprofit partner of the Forest Service, the National Forest Foundation 

(NFF) engages the public in community-based and national programs that promote the health and public 

enjoyment of the National Forest System (NFS). Through grants to nonprofit organizations, technical 

assistance for agency and nonprofit staff, direct community engagement, tree planting and carbon 

sequestration programs, and its Treasured Landscapes, Unforgettable Experiences conservation campaign, 

the NFF helps to advance the mission of the Forest Service and build a constituency for national forests 

and grasslands. 

In FY 2011, the NFF supported more than 175 projects benefiting NFS lands, waters, and wildlife. These 

projects bring significant, measurable benefits to NFS resources and the American public. Every Federal 

dollar invested is matched with non-Federal funds at a minimum ratio of 1:1, with an average leverage of 

4:1, significantly increasing the resources available to implement stewardship and restoration projects.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Special Exhibits 14 - 67

The NFF‘s Treasured Landscapes, Unforgettable Experiences conservation campaign currently supports 

site-based restoration and conservation initiatives, with the goal of 14 sites across the NFS by the end of 

2012. This funding helps national forests meet specific stewardship needs, including the restoration of 

forest health, improvements in water quality, enhancement of wildlife habitat and engagement of 

communities in natural resource stewardship. 

The NFF strengthens the ability of the Forest Service to care for the national forests and grasslands by 

leveraging the power of partnerships in national forest stewardship. Examples of projects for FY 2011 

include:

Enhancing Wildlife Habitat and Controlling Invasive Species in Bearcat Hollow; Ozark National 

Forest: Funding supported the National Wild Turkey Federation to control invasive species and 

enhance wildlife habitat through the improvement and creation of wildlife openings within 

Bearcat Hollow on the Ozark National Forest.

Station Fire carbon sequestration projects; Angeles National Forest: Through partnerships with 

the South Coast Air Quality Management District and Disney, the NFF and the Forest Service 

planted more than 625,000 seedlings on 3,300 acres of the Station Fire burn area. The projects are 

projected to sequester 380,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalents. 

Peer Mentorship between Selway-Bitterroot Frank Church Foundation and Southern 

Appalachian Wilderness Stewards; Cherokee, Pisgah, Nantahala, Chattahoochee, Lolo, 

Clearwater, and Nez Perce National Forests: The NFF funded and coordinated a one-year peer 

mentorship between these wilderness stewardship groups to accelerate organizational learning by 

sharing information, opportunities, and challenges. 

Upper White River Watershed Restoration Project; Green Mountain National Forest: Funding 

was provided to the White River Partnership to improve water quality, fisheries and aquatic 

habitat, and biodiversity in the Upper White River watershed.

Warm Fire Pine Restoration and Aspen Protection; Kaibab National Forest: The NFF raised 

private funds to plant 102,000 Ponderosa pine seedlings and install exclusion fencing around 12 

aspen clones to reforest following the Warm Fire on the Kaibab National Forest.

Watershed Restoration in the Roaring Fork Valley; White River National Forest: The NFF 

worked with private landowners and the Forest Service to mitigate bark-beetle damage on a 

portion of the White River National Forest. 

The mission and activities of the NFF are consistent with the Administration‘s America‘s Great Outdoors 

Initiative. The NFF‘s focus on restoration, public participation in conservation action, and engaging 

families and youth in their public resources complements this initiative and helps to ensure that the public 

estate is valued for all of its diverse attributes and benefits.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Special Exhibits 14 - 68

Instrument Type G&A Count

FS 

Contribution Partner Contribution TOTAL Value

Challenge Cost Share Agreement 987 $44,054,155 $38,411,603 $824,465,758

Collection Agreement 1319 18,712,485 99,592,409 118,304,895

Cooperative Agreement 353 51,602,798 14,607,938 66,210,736

Cooperative Research and Development Agreement 9 380,296 706,604 1,086,900

Cost Reimbursable Agreement 121 10,776,000 492,632 11,268,631

Domestic Grant 1010 308,609,227 226,882,440 535,491,668

Fire Agreement 107 6,572,601 5,690,101 12,262,702

Interagency and Intra-agency Agreement 1739 110,454,385 149,249,774 259,704,158

International Cooperative Agreement 11 722,322 221,223 943,545

International Grant 17 2,226,698 388,487 2,615,185

International Joint-venture 12 364,597 235,303 599,900

Joint Venture Agreement 535 45,706,396 13,444,476 59,150,871

Law Enforcement Agreement 460 6,863,369 0 6,863,369

Memorandum of Understanding 5 0 0 0

Participating Agreement 991 44,501,947 41,564,404 86,066,352

Roads Agreement 117 10,719,750 24,211,257 34,931,007

Stewardship Agreement 12 1,582,354 351,343 1,933,697

Grand Total 7805 $663,849,380 $616,049,993 $1,279,839,373

National Grants and Agreements (G&A) Summary by Instrument Type

Fiscal Year 2011

*Source: Data are compiled from the Forest Service G&A database. These are either new G&A’s for FY 2011 or 

G&A’s that had new funding added in FY 2011 via modifications. All of these items represent new investments in 

partnerships that occurred in FY 2011.

FS Partner Total FS Partner Total FS Partner Total

CFLRP* $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $1,322 $762 $2,084

Facilities 226 237 463 3,440 1,206 4,646 620 273 893

Forest and Rangeland Research 5,771 3,487 9,258 2,277 1,433 3,710 4,953 1,883 6,836

Forest Products 377 446 823 317 38 355 1,038 393 1,431

Grazing Management 118 119 237 449 180 629 342 28 370

Inventory and Monitoring 5,245 1,685 6,930 5,688 2,252 7,940 5,025 1,735 6,760

Job Corps 728 0 728 1,485 893 2,378 1,559 1,734 3,293

Minerals and Geology Mgt. 313 193 506 1,173 734 1,907 289 50 339

Other 964 1,704 2,668 341 485 826 662 332 994

Recreation, Wilderness, Heritage Mgt. 5,754 11,595 17,349 4,605 6,972 11,577 5,483 8,888 14,371

Roads 878 588 1,466 1,191 1,910 3,101 950 1,678 2,628

State and Private Forestry 4,465 3,093 7,558 1,805 806 2,611 4,085 4,128 8,213

Trails 7,200 4,168 11,368 7,244 5,462 12,706 6,113 8,045 14,158

Vegetation and Watershed Mgt. 2,968 2,848 5,816 4,421 2,563 6,984 1,858 1,996 3,854

Wildland Fire Management 3,064 1,112 4,176 2,434 973 3,407 2,709 1,397 4,106

Wildlife and Fish Habitat Mgt. 5,919 5,729 11,648 7,052 7,783 14,835 7,046 5,090 12,136

TOTALS $43,990 $37,004 $80,994 $43,922 $33,690 $77,612 $44,054 $38,412 $82,466

* Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Program

Challenge Cost Share Agreements

Estimated Funds by Budget Line Items

FY 2009 FY 2010 FY 2011 Budget Line Item

($ in thousands)
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Special Exhibits 14 - 69

Reforestation

Overview

The Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974 (RPA) (P.L. 93-378), as amended 

by the National Forest Management Act of 1976 (NFMA) Section 3(d)1, directs that all forested lands in 

the National Forest System (NFS) be maintained in appropriate forest cover with species of trees, degree 

of stocking, rate of growth, and conditions of stand designated to secure the maximum benefits of 

multiple use sustained yield management in accordance to land management plans. It further requires the 

Secretary of Agriculture to identify and report to the Congress, at the time of submission of the 

President‘s Budget together with the annual report provided under section 8 (c) of the Act, the amount 

and location, by national forest and State and by productivity class, where applicable, of needs to reforest 

areas that have been cut-over or otherwise denuded or deforested.

The Forest Service reforestation program has four major goals:

Maintain all forest lands within the National Forest System in appropriate forest cover 

Improve the quality and yield of new timber stands

Promptly achieve desired stocking levels in a cost-efficient manner

Develop and demonstrate successful reforestation methods and techniques and encourage their 

use by private landowners.

Prompt reforestation is desirable to prevent soil erosion and protect water quality in streams and lakes. 

Through species and seed source selection, reforestation may increase the resilience of forest vegetation 

communities to the effects of global climate change and provide effective long-term carbon sequestration. 

Reforestation benefits wildlife and fish species and improves scenic quality and recreational experience. 

There are a variety of activities associated with the reforestation program, including planting, seeding and 

site preparation. Site preparation may be done to prepare the site for planting, for seeding, or to facilitate 

natural regeneration. Forest and stand level management objectives may be jeopardized without 

appropriate reforestation treatments. 

Reforestation work is time-sensitive. Without timely reforestation efforts, undesirable species may 

dominate forest vegetation communities, making establishment of desired tree species difficult. Once 

undesirable species become established, decades may pass before sufficient numbers of desired tree 

seedlings occupy the site and the opportunity to facilitate adaptation to the effects of climate variability or 

other stressors may be lost. Delays increase the cost of reforestation work by necessitating expensive site 

preparation, reduce timber yields, and may adversely affect meeting other resource objectives. In 

addition, these areas may be less resilient to wildfire and increase risk to adjacent communities. 

Program Plans and Accomplishments 

The agency‘s reforestation capacity is dependent on several program areas, as well as numerous 

partnerships and cooperative agreements. Reforestation needs generated through timber harvest activities 

are generally met through funds collected under the Knutson-Vandenberg (K-V) Act authority. 

Reforestation needs for areas outside timber sale areas are primarily funded by the proposed Integrated 

Resource Restoration budget line and the Reforestation Trust Fund. Corporate partners and civic groups 

also contribute to the agency‘s capacity for reforestation through partnerships and matching fund 

agreements.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Special Exhibits 14 - 70

In FY 2011, the agency reforested a total of 215,330 acres. Of this total, the agency accomplished 84,897 

acres through certification of natural regeneration. At the start of FY 2012, the agency has identified 

990,073 acres of NFS lands that can benefit from reforestation. The identified acres are the result of 

completed silviculture diagnosis and prescriptions. The on-going assessment of areas impacted by 

wildfire in prior years significantly added to this figure. 

The agency‘s total reforestation target for FY 2012 is 221,790 acres. This includes approximately 74,300 

acres of reforestation funded from the proposed Integrated Resource Restoration budget line, a target 

similar to what we have previously accomplished through Emergency Supplemental Funds for fire 

restoration and the Rehabilitation and Restoration program. The agency will reforest an additional 

121,000 acres utilizing the Reforestation Trust Fund and K-V Trust funds, and 8,000 acres will be 

accomplished through partnerships. Actual accomplishments may vary significantly, depending on the 

type of treatment necessary to meet restoration objectives and the cost of that treatment.

The agency has developed and is implementing a strategy to increase nursery production to meet 

projected reforestation needs generated by past wildfire activity. As increased seedling production comes 

on line, additional reforestation through planting of seedlings will be feasible. It takes one to two years 

and sometimes longer for the nurseries to produce the planting stock necessary to meet the demands of 

the regional programs. 

The graph below shows reforestation needs and accomplishments for FY 2000 through FY 2011. Since 

FY 2000, reforestation needs have accumulated largely due to large wildfires affecting national forests in 

the West and insect epidemics in the East. From FY 2000 through FY 2011, reforestation addressed about 

24 percent of the reforestation needs nationally. However, since FY 2008 the agency has been building 

nursery stock production and reforestation capability. Funds provided through emergency supplemental 

appropriations have been instrumental in facilitating this increase in capacity. Reforestation capacity and 

the projected accomplishments for FY 2012 continue to reflect increases associated with these 

supplemental funds.

Trends in Reforestation Fiscal Years FY 2000 – 2011

1/This graph displays the current reforestation needs as of the end of FY 2011. The increase from FY 2010 to FY 2011 is a result 

of additions to needs resulting from field analysis of wildfire events during FY 2010 and 2011. 

2/The percent accomplishment is calculated by dividing the current year’s accomplishment by the prior fiscal year need. 

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

0

200,000

400,000

600,000

800,000

1,000,000

1,200,000

200020012002200320042005200620072008200920102011

Acres 1/

Fiscal Year

Current Reforestation Needs: Reforestation Treatments

Percent of Needs Treated

Percent 2/
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Special Exhibits 14 - 71

The graph of reforestation needs below shows the relative significance of various contributing factors on 

reforestion. The majority of the new reforestation areas are the result of wildfires, particularly in the 

western regions. These areas are identified based on the opportunity for re-establishing desired vegetation 

through sequenced silviculture prescriptions. This includes artificial regeneration either by planting or 

seeding as well as certification of natural regeneration when there is sufficient seed producing trees on the 

site. In order to assure that successful regeneration is taking place, reforestation areas are scheduled for 

periodic stocking surveys. The increase in reforestation need created by wildfires reported in FY 2011 

compared with the number of acres affected by fires is the result of continued assessments of fires in prior 

years and the development of detailed silviculture prescriptions and the planned treatments needed to reestablish forest vegetation.

Casual Agent for Reforestation Needs

FY 2000-2011

0

100,000

200,000

300,000

400,000

500,000

600,000

700,000

800,000

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

Acres 

Fiscal Year

a. Regeneration Harvest b. Fires c. Insects or Diseases d. Reforestation Failures

Wildfires

Regeneration

Harvest

Insects & Disease

Failures
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Special Exhibits 14 - 72

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FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Special Exhibits 14 - 73

Region, Station and Area Allocations FY 2009 - 2011

 REGION 01 REGION 02 REGION 03

FY09 FY10 FY11 FY09 FY10 FY11

Forest and Rangeland Research 0 2 0 42 42 58

State & Private Forestry

Forest Health Management - Federal Lands 2,689 2,885 3,136 2,826 2,729 2,614

State Fire Assistance 1,515 1,886 1,702 2,283 3,077 2,416

Forest Health Management - Cooperative Lands 332 496 835 542 684 1,123

Volunteer Fire Assistance 382 446 425 665 776 741

Forest Stewardship 586 618 1,165 1,049 1,138 2,388

Forest Legacy Program 116 8,872 9,873 171 2,736 4,291

Community Forest & Open Space Conservation 0 0

Urban and Community Forestry 538 705 778 1,456 1,646 2,093

Economic Action Program 0 0 0 0 0 0

Forest Resources Information and Analysis 0 0 0 0 0 0

International Forestry 0 0 0 0 0 0

Total, State & Private Forestry 6,158 15,906 17,913 8,994 12,785 15,666

National Forest System

Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration 45 4,438

Land Management Planning 3,911 2,718 2,725 3,625 3,190 3,447

Inventory and Monitoring 10,983 11,235 11,044 10,080 9,656 9,763

Recreation, Heritage, and Wilderness 16,626 16,585 16,232 25,881 26,731 25,721 Wildlife and Fisheries Habitat Management 10,477 10,660 10,441 8,865 8,925 8,683

Grazing Management 5,425 5,337 5,210 7,542 7,821 7,735

Forest Products 27,904 30,849 30,875 22,450 24,809 24,777

Vegetation and Watershed Management 19,262 19,394 18,765 14,841 14,319 13,577

Minerals and Geology Management 10,758 9,885 9,219 9,900 9,385 8,741

Landownership Management 6,609 6,789 6,435 7,654 7,686 7,220

Law Enforcement Operations 0 0 0 0 0 0

Valles Caldera National Preserve 0 0 0 0 0 0

Total, National Forest System 111,955 113,452 110,990 110,837 112,521 114,102

Wildland Fire Management

Fire Preparedness 59,844 57,166 56,173 30,548 29,842 29,237

Fire Operations -- Suppression 0 0 0 0 0 0

Hazardous Fuels 21,643 24,896 22,510 27,816 30,236 30,354

Rehabilitation and Restoration (NFP) 1,935 1,443 1,679 556 409 491

Fire Research and Development (NFP) 0 0 0 0 0 0

Joint Fire Sciences 0 0 0 0 0 0

Forest Health Management -- Federal Lands (NFP) 2,003 3,060 2,913 2,428 3,500 3,333

Forest Health Management -- Cooperative Lands (NFP) 1,444 971 2,082 1,304 897 1,560

State Fire Assistance (NFP) 793 1,738 4,946 1,553 2,512 6,331

Volunteer Fire Assistance (NFP) 707 707 706 840 840 839

Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration 2,029 7,059 1,446 114

Total, Wildland Fire Management 88,368 92,010 98,067 65,046 69,682 72,258

Use of Prior Year Funds 0 0 0 0 0 0

FLAME Wildfire Suppression Reserve Fund 0 0 0 0 0 0

Capital Improvement & Maintenance

Facilities 5,315 5,845 6,541 11,249 13,800 13,568

Roads 18,376 19,395 16,098 21,115 25,768 22,841

Trails 11,807 11,448 12,555 7,707 9,600 9,668

Infrastructure Improvement 821 804 219 884 838 652

Legacy Roads and Trails 5,811 12,149 5,158 4,101 4,187 3,699

Total, Capital Improvement & Maintenance 42,130 49,641 40,572 45,055 54,193 50,428

Land Acquisition

Land Acquisition -- Land and Water Conservation Fund 1,444 831 1,359 721 272 699

Acquisition of Lands for National Forests, Special Acts 0 0 0 0 0 0

Acquisition of Lands to Complete Land Exchanges 0 0 0 0 0 0

Total, Land Acquisition 1,444 831 1,359 721 272 699

Range Betterment Fund 0 271 270 0 513 505

Gifts, Donations, and Bequests for Research 0 0 0 0 0 0

Management of NF Lands for Subsistence Uses 0 0 0 0 0 0

TOTAL, Forest Service (DISCRETIONARY) 250,055 272,114 269,172 230,695 250,008 253,717

Permanent Working Funds 25,897 20,351 14,918 23,682 19,602 15,019

Trust Funds 17,302 11,745 10,960 16,911 12,693 13,197

Supplemental Funding

Hurricane/Flood Supp 1,700 0

Rehab & Restoration Supp 10,100 7,600

Hazardous Fuels Supp 0 5,000

Hazardous Fuels S&PF 4,000 13,000

Firefighter Retention Supp 0 0

TOTAL, ALL FUNDS 309,054 304,210 295,050 296,888 282,303 281,933

1/ Totals do not include payment to states

2/ Permanent & Trust funds amounts = allocations for 

current year operations, not total receipts

3/ Discrepancy in FY10 RBRB and FJRF allocations 

Includes direct program + cost pool funding allocated to Regions, 

Stations and Area

FY2009 through FY2011

($ in Thousands)
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Special Exhibits 14 - 74

Region, Station and Area Allocations FY 2009 - 2011

 REGION 03 REGION 04 REGION 05

FY09 FY10 FY11 FY09 FY10 FY11

Forest and Rangeland Research 0 0 7 0 0 11

State & Private Forestry

Forest Health Management - Federal Lands 1,226 1,286 1,574 2,315 2,310 2,241

State Fire Assistance 691 929 692 692 917 1,110

Forest Health Management - Cooperative Lands 608 384 450 187 234 1,171

Volunteer Fire Assistance 159 186 178 124 144 138

Forest Stewardship 511 532 672 306 322 385

Forest Legacy Program 57 1,021 134 109 2,441 96

Community Forest & Open Space Conservation 0 0

Urban and Community Forestry 532 618 975 409 563 677

Economic Action Program 0 0 0 0 200 0

Forest Resources Information and Analysis 0 0 0 0 0 0

International Forestry 0 0 0 0 0 0

Total, State & Private Forestry 3,784 4,954 4,676 4,140 7,131 5,818

National Forest System

Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration 5,913 0

Land Management Planning 4,786 4,072 4,472 3,866 2,056 2,016

Inventory and Monitoring 10,194 9,903 9,603 12,976 12,929 12,506

Recreation, Heritage, and Wilderness 22,480 23,402 23,301 27,296 26,501 26,375 Wildlife and Fisheries Habitat Management 8,996 9,524 9,222 10,892 11,085 10,293

Grazing Management 8,742 8,567 8,669 9,719 9,515 9,233

Forest Products 11,277 11,044 11,117 14,421 13,362 12,826

Vegetation and Watershed Management 13,251 13,204 12,945 16,367 17,616 16,889

Minerals and Geology Management 7,995 8,318 6,922 13,015 11,676 11,433

Landownership Management 5,445 5,595 5,215 8,292 8,337 7,731

Law Enforcement Operations 0 0 0 0 0 0

Valles Caldera National Preserve 4,000 0 0 0 0 0

Total, National Forest System 97,167 93,628 97,379 116,846 113,077 109,301

Wildland Fire Management

Fire Preparedness 62,752 60,823 59,755 60,334 55,328 56,475

Fire Operations -- Suppression 0 0 0 0 0 0

Hazardous Fuels 44,626 42,144 38,707 21,776 23,249 25,335

Rehabilitation and Restoration (NFP) 1,037 1,143 948 1,938 2,444 2,915

Fire Research and Development (NFP) 0 0 0 0 0 0

Joint Fire Sciences 0 0 0 0 0 0

Forest Health Management -- Federal Lands (NFP) 1,193 446 982 2,007 2,897 2,466

Forest Health Management -- Cooperative Lands (NFP) 334 1,348 600 1,346 827 901

State Fire Assistance (NFP) 376 1,358 3,365 389 1,612 1,980

Volunteer Fire Assistance (NFP) 575 576 574 310 310 309

Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration 2,392 81 0 94

Total, Wildland Fire Management 110,893 110,229 105,011 88,100 86,667 90,476

Use of Prior Year Funds 0 0 0 0 0 0

FLAME Wildfire Suppression Reserve Fund 0 0 0 0 0 0

Capital Improvement & Maintenance

Facilities 8,811 9,081 9,479 7,927 11,285 12,183

Roads 19,931 21,472 16,463 19,509 19,055 15,705

Trails 4,087 4,008 4,291 6,882 8,921 9,108

Infrastructure Improvement 748 711 697 791 811 917

Legacy Roads and Trails 3,698 7,090 3,446 4,710 10,122 4,168

Total, Capital Improvement & Maintenance 37,274 42,362 34,377 39,818 50,193 42,081

Land Acquisition

Land Acquisition -- Land and Water Conservation Fund 194 207 488 680 592 771

Acquisition of Lands for National Forests, Special Acts 0 0 0 69 63 0

Acquisition of Lands to Complete Land Exchanges 0 0 0 0 0 0

Total, Land Acquisition 194 207 488 748 655 771

Range Betterment Fund 0 671 639 0 749 759

Gifts, Donations, and Bequests for Research 0 0 0 0 0 0

Management of NF Lands for Subsistence Uses 0 0 0 0 0 0

TOTAL, Forest Service (DISCRETIONARY) 249,311 252,052 242,578 249,653 258,472 249,217

Permanent Working Funds 25,603 14,086 13,419 28,206 41,492 37,817

Trust Funds 3,443 3,810 2,751 7,198 5,913 5,393

Supplemental Funding

Hurricane/Flood Supp 0 0

Rehab & Restoration Supp 6,550 9,400

Hazardous Fuels Supp 5,000 2,000

Hazardous Fuels S&PF 12,000 7,000

Firefighter Retention Supp 0 0

TOTAL, ALL FUNDS 301,907 269,948 258,747 303,457 305,877 292,426

1/ Totals do not include payment to states

2/ Permanent & Trust funds amounts = allocations for 

current year operations, not total receipts

3/ Discrepancy in FY10 RBRB and FJRF allocations 

Includes direct program + cost pool funding allocated to Regions, 

Stations and Area

FY2009 through FY2011

($ in Thousands)
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Special Exhibits 14 - 75

Region, Station and Area Allocations FY 2009 - FY 2011

 REGION 05 REGION 06 REGION 08

FY09 FY10 FY11 FY09 FY10 FY11

Forest and Rangeland Research 0 0 0 0 150 108

State & Private Forestry

Forest Health Management - Federal Lands 2,935 2,622 2,259 4,293 3,535 3,400

State Fire Assistance 1,684 2,473 1,844 2,567 2,713 4,704

Forest Health Management - Cooperative Lands 976 1,167 2,559 916 1,102 2,118

Volunteer Fire Assistance 321 374 357 197 230 220

Forest Stewardship 581 707 1,626 963 997 1,313

Forest Legacy Program 332 4,881 378 112 5,127 116

Community Forest & Open Space Conservation 0 0

Urban and Community Forestry 2,419 2,317 2,576 696 1,731 1,086

Economic Action Program 0 3,000 0 0 0 0

Forest Resources Information and Analysis 0 0 0 0 0 0

International Forestry 0 0 0 0 0 0

Total, State & Private Forestry 9,248 17,541 11,598 9,745 15,435 12,957

National Forest System

Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration 416 2,880

Land Management Planning 3,395 2,736 3,142 5,306 4,828 4,904

Inventory and Monitoring 13,185 13,102 12,860 13,955 13,932 13,676

Recreation, Heritage, and Wilderness 31,555 31,120 29,173 25,051 26,897 26,592

Wildlife and Fisheries Habitat Management 14,302 13,635 13,492 17,522 17,303 17,553

Grazing Management 3,328 3,209 3,103 3,971 3,971 3,741

Forest Products 36,343 34,948 34,544 61,182 59,165 58,717

Vegetation and Watershed Management 15,719 18,398 17,217 22,754 22,779 22,324

Minerals and Geology Management 7,338 6,672 6,422 5,768 5,533 5,102

Landownership Management 10,400 10,438 9,732 9,193 9,019 8,558

Law Enforcement Operations 0 0 0 0 0 0

Valles Caldera National Preserve 0 0 0 0 0 0

Total, National Forest System 135,565 134,259 130,101 164,702 163,427 164,049

Wildland Fire Management

Fire Preparedness 212,037 205,755 207,244 80,646 78,827 78,385

Fire Operations -- Suppression 0 0 0 0 0 0

Hazardous Fuels 57,616 58,074 57,114 35,708 35,538 33,365

Rehabilitation and Restoration (NFP) 2,596 2,548 2,745 1,437 1,251 1,109

Fire Research and Development (NFP) 0 0 0 0 0 0

Joint Fire Sciences 0 0 0 0 0 0

Forest Health Management -- Federal Lands (NFP) 2,178 2,897 2,057 2,869 3,589 3,675

Forest Health Management -- Cooperative Lands (NFP) 1,493 955 2,056 1,652 2,054 1,862

State Fire Assistance (NFP) 5,839 11,899 9,055 1,721 2,299 5,402

Volunteer Fire Assistance (NFP) 974 973 971 707 707 706

Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration 830 108 2,132 326

Total, Wildland Fire Management 282,733 283,930 281,350 124,742 126,396 124,830

Use of Prior Year Funds 0 0 0 0 0 0

FLAME Wildfire Suppression Reserve Fund 0 0 0 0 0 0

Capital Improvement & Maintenance

Facilities 10,283 13,642 13,796 9,445 14,552 11,841

Roads 25,387 24,696 18,791 33,923 33,286 25,803

Trails 7,888 7,835 8,439 8,000 7,680 8,856

Infrastructure Improvement 1,028 1,029 2,126 1,215 1,261 935

Legacy Roads and Trails 8,279 10,086 7,063 10,528 19,510 8,728

Total, Capital Improvement & Maintenance 52,865 57,288 50,216 63,111 76,290 56,163

Land Acquisition

Land Acquisition -- Land and Water Conservation Fund 1,337 704 1,177 787 438 843

Acquisition of Lands for National Forests, Special Acts 981 987 0 0 0 0

Acquisition of Lands to Complete Land Exchanges 0 0 0 0 0 0

Total, Land Acquisition 2,318 1,691 1,177 787 438 843

Range Betterment Fund 0 159 156 0 225 221

Gifts, Donations, and Bequests for Research 0 0 0 0 0 0

Management of NF Lands for Subsistence Uses 0 0 0 0 0 0

TOTAL, Forest Service (DISCRETIONARY) 482,729 494,869 474,599 363,087 382,360 359,171

Permanent Working Funds 64,598 48,751 36,088 74,742 54,427 42,546

Trust Funds 28,394 25,903 24,432 33,413 31,644 32,946

Supplemental Funding

Hurricane/Flood Supp 0 10,300

Rehab & Restoration Supp 24,300 9,500

Hazardous Fuels Supp 35,000 0

Hazardous Fuels S&PF 75,000 7,000

Firefighter Retention Supp 0 0

TOTAL, ALL FUNDS 710,021 569,523 535,119 498,042 468,431 434,663

1/ Totals do not include payment to states

2/ Permanent & Trust funds amounts = allocations for 

current year operations, not total receipts

3/ Discrepancy in FY10 RBRB and FJRF allocations 

Includes direct program + cost pool funding allocated to Regions, 

Stations and Area

FY2009 through FY2011

($ in Thousands)
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Special Exhibits 14 - 76

Region, Station and Area Allocations FY 2009 – 2011

 REGION 08 REGION 09 REGION 10

FY09 FY10 FY11 FY09 FY10 FY11

Forest and Rangeland Research 99 112 136 0 0 9

State & Private Forestry

Forest Health Management - Federal Lands 7,176 8,855 10,973 15 18 16

State Fire Assistance 7,003 9,194 7,423 81 76 76

Forest Health Management - Cooperative Lands 12,063 13,749 16,784 0 0 0

Volunteer Fire Assistance 1,652 1,928 1,839 0 0 0

Forest Stewardship 6,371 6,655 8,325 0 0 0

Forest Legacy Program 824 18,858 10,699 0 0 0

Community Forest & Open Space Conservation 0 0

Urban and Community Forestry 6,326 5,817 7,422 0 0 0

Economic Action Program 0 0 0 0 0 0

Forest Resources Information and Analysis 0 0 0 0 0 0

International Forestry 0 0 0 0 0 0

Total, State & Private Forestry 41,416 65,057 63,466 97 93 92

National Forest System

Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration 1,279 0

Land Management Planning 3,819 3,802 3,880 2,259 2,246 2,111

Inventory and Monitoring 10,509 10,704 10,653 12,307 12,175 10,881

Recreation, Heritage, and Wilderness 29,663 30,855 29,605 25,528 24,561 24,064 Wildlife and Fisheries Habitat Management 17,884 17,596 17,658 14,756 14,627 14,757

Grazing Management 594 534 574 541 527 570

Forest Products 31,554 31,941 31,464 27,922 34,542 35,954

Vegetation and Watershed Management 15,004 15,305 14,478 15,425 14,662 15,986

Minerals and Geology Management 4,711 4,454 4,291 6,350 6,009 6,659

Landownership Management 9,651 9,964 9,489 8,910 9,411 9,137

Law Enforcement Operations 0 0 0 0 0 0

Valles Caldera National Preserve 0 0 0 0 0 0

Total, National Forest System 123,389 125,155 123,370 113,998 118,761 120,119

Wildland Fire Management

Fire Preparedness 36,112 34,573 34,267 23,406 22,967 22,416

Fire Operations -- Suppression 0 0 0 0 0 0

Hazardous Fuels 41,999 41,374 41,868 12,101 11,130 12,933

Rehabilitation and Restoration (NFP) 379 347 497 448 573 496

Fire Research and Development (NFP) 0 0 0 0 0 0

Joint Fire Sciences 0 0 0 0 0 0

Forest Health Management -- Federal Lands (NFP) 0 1,000 7 0 0 0

Forest Health Management -- Cooperative Lands (NFP) 460 818 868 0 0 0

State Fire Assistance (NFP) 11,791 13,464 15,394 -1 0 0

Volunteer Fire Assistance (NFP) 2,250 2,250 2,245 0 0 0

Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration 1,171 176 0 175

Total, Wildland Fire Management 92,991 94,997 95,323 35,955 34,670 36,020

Use of Prior Year Funds 0 0 0 0 0 0

FLAME Wildfire Suppression Reserve Fund 0 0 0 0 0 0

Capital Improvement & Maintenance

Facilities 14,848 17,326 16,908 9,249 11,251 13,149

Roads 25,910 25,746 19,809 20,278 20,672 16,088

Trails 8,989 8,586 8,747 6,780 7,188 7,337

Infrastructure Improvement 1,114 1,065 1,754 816 926 104

Legacy Roads and Trails 5,909 11,757 5,311 5,618 10,224 4,115

Total, Capital Improvement & Maintenance 56,770 64,479 52,529 42,741 50,262 40,793

Land Acquisition

Land Acquisition -- Land and Water Conservation Fund 1,887 1,172 1,439 2,655 1,594 1,680

Acquisition of Lands for National Forests, Special Acts 0 0 0 0 0 0

Acquisition of Lands to Complete Land Exchanges 0 0 0 0 0 0

Total, Land Acquisition 1,887 1,172 1,439 2,655 1,594 1,680

Range Betterment Fund 0 0 1 0 0 0

Gifts, Donations, and Bequests for Research 0 0 0 0 0 0

Management of NF Lands for Subsistence Uses 0 0 0 0 0 0

TOTAL, Forest Service (DISCRETIONARY) 316,552 350,970 336,265 195,445 205,381 198,713

Permanent Working Funds 36,087 27,775 25,350 31,571 23,642 19,551

Trust Funds 32,087 35,226 38,756 24,309 25,028 19,845

Supplemental Funding

Hurricane/Flood Supp 18,000 0

Rehab & Restoration Supp 4,400 2,450

Hazardous Fuels Supp 3,000 0

Hazardous Fuels S&PF 7,000 0

Firefighter Retention Supp 0 0

TOTAL, ALL FUNDS 417,126 413,971 400,370 253,775 254,051 238,109

1/ Totals do not include payment to states

2/ Permanent & Trust funds amounts = allocations for 

current year operations, not total receipts

3/ Discrepancy in FY10 RBRB and FJRF allocations 

Includes direct program + cost pool funding allocated to Regions, 

Stations and Area

FY2009 through FY2011

($ in Thousands)
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Special Exhibits 14 - 77

Region, Station and Area Allocations FY 2009 – 2011

 REGION 10

FY09 FY10 FY11 FY09 FY10 FY11

Forest and Rangeland Research 0 30 50 19,214 19,361 24,231

State & Private Forestry

Forest Health Management - Federal Lands 1,295 1,260 1,085 0 0 0

State Fire Assistance 741 916 744 0 0 0

Forest Health Management - Cooperative Lands 587 734 700 0 0 0

Volunteer Fire Assistance 132 154 147 0 0 0

Forest Stewardship 490 515 914 0 0 0

Forest Legacy Program 67 745 69 0 0 0

Community Forest & Open Space Conservation 0 0 0 0

Urban and Community Forestry 277 250 248 0 0 0

Economic Action Program 0 0 0 0 0 0

Forest Resources Information and Analysis 0 0 0 0 0 0

International Forestry 0 0 0 0

Total, State & Private Forestry 3,589 4,574 3,907 0 0 0

National Forest System

Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration 0 0 0 0

Land Management Planning 1,059 926 926 0 0 0

Inventory and Monitoring 7,095 7,150 7,017 0 0 0

Recreation, Heritage, and Wilderness 11,344 10,790 10,518 0 0 0 Wildlife and Fisheries Habitat Management 9,159 10,298 9,688 0 0 0

Grazing Management 0 0 0 0 0 0

Forest Products 18,906 17,567 17,333 0 0 0

Vegetation and Watershed Management 4,735 4,621 4,598 0 0 0

Minerals and Geology Management 3,851 3,649 3,423 0 0 0

Landownership Management 4,800 4,729 4,450 0 0 0

Law Enforcement Operations 0 0 0 0 0 0

Valles Caldera National Preserve 0 0 0 0

Total, National Forest System 60,950 59,730 57,953 0 0 0

Wildland Fire Management

Fire Preparedness 2,993 2,949 2,910 0 0 0

Fire Operations -- Suppression 0 0 0 0 0 0

Hazardous Fuels 1,191 1,017 1,089 5,416 5,000 3,826

Rehabilitation and Restoration (NFP) 80 6 4 0 0 0

Fire Research and Development (NFP) 0 0 0 716 703 703

Joint Fire Sciences 0 0 0 0 0 0

Forest Health Management -- Federal Lands (NFP) 833 161 1,722 0 0 0

Forest Health Management -- Cooperative Lands (NFP) 527 1,161 331 0 0 0

State Fire Assistance (NFP) 456 416 1,460 0 0 0

Volunteer Fire Assistance (NFP) 309 309 308 0 0 0

Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration 0 90 0 0 0

Total, Wildland Fire Management 6,389 6,020 7,914 6,133 5,703 4,529

Use of Prior Year Funds 0 0 0 0 0 0

FLAME Wildfire Suppression Reserve Fund 0 0 0 0 0 0

Capital Improvement & Maintenance

Facilities 9,282 8,718 10,002 16,394 785 50

Roads 11,823 10,538 8,019 0 0 0

Trails 4,737 4,717 4,759 0 0 0

Infrastructure Improvement 646 604 475 387 0 0

Legacy Roads and Trails 1,348 3,034 680 0 0 0

Total, Capital Improvement & Maintenance 27,836 27,611 23,936 16,780 785 50

Land Acquisition

Land Acquisition -- Land and Water Conservation Fund 120 72 106 0 0 0

Acquisition of Lands for National Forests, Special Acts 0 0 0 0 0 0

Acquisition of Lands to Complete Land Exchanges 0 0 0 0 0 0

Total, Land Acquisition 120 72 106 0 0 0

Range Betterment Fund 0 0 0 0 0 0

Gifts, Donations, and Bequests for Research 0 0 0 0 20 0

Management of NF Lands for Subsistence Uses 4,533 2,116 2,212 0 0 0

TOTAL, Forest Service (DISCRETIONARY) 103,417 100,151 96,078 42,127 25,869 28,810

Permanent Working Funds 8,351 8,451 7,225 0 0 0

Trust Funds 3,441 2,715 2,119 604 470 351

Supplemental Funding

Hurricane/Flood Supp 0

Rehab & Restoration Supp 700

Hazardous Fuels Supp 0

Hazardous Fuels S&PF 0

Firefighter Retention Supp 0

TOTAL, ALL FUNDS 115,909 111,317 105,422 42,731 26,339 29,161

1/ Totals do not include payment to states

2/ Permanent & Trust funds amounts = allocations for 

current year operations, not total receipts

3/ Discrepancy in FY10 RBRB and FJRF allocations 

 FOREST PRODUCTS LAB

Includes direct program + cost pool funding allocated to Regions, 

Stations and Area

FY2009 through FY2011

($ in Thousands)
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Special Exhibits 14 - 78

Region, Station and Area Allocations FY 2009 – 2011

FY09 FY10 FY11 FY09 FY10 FY11

Forest and Rangeland Research 40,998 41,563 43,075 55,363 58,191 57,188

State & Private Forestry

Forest Health Management - Federal Lands 140 217 285 435 80 206

State Fire Assistance 0 2 0 178 0 0

Forest Health Management - Cooperative Lands 0 2 131 195 152 152

Volunteer Fire Assistance 0 0 0 0 0 0

Forest Stewardship 179 213 204 245 0 0

Forest Legacy Program 0 0 0 38 0 95

Community Forest & Open Space Conservation 10 2 0 356 235 175

Urban and Community Forestry 0 0 0 0 0 0

Economic Action Program 0 1 1,035 0 0 1,235

Forest Resources Information and Analysis 0 0 0 0 0 0

International Forestry 0 0

Total, State & Private Forestry 329 437 1,655 1,447 467 1,863

National Forest System

Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration 0 0 0 0 0 0

Land Management Planning 0 0 0 0 0 190

Inventory and Monitoring 60 29 29 1 26 456

Recreation, Heritage, and Wilderness 0 0 0 107 0 0 Wildlife and Fisheries Habitat Management 0 0 0 0 0 0

Grazing Management 0 0 0 181 0 0

Forest Products 0 42 0 168 0 460

Vegetation and Watershed Management 0 0 0 0 0 0

Minerals and Geology Management 0 0 0 0 0 0

Landownership Management 0 0 0 0 0 0

Law Enforcement Operations 0 0 0 0 0 0

Valles Caldera National Preserve 0 0

Total, National Forest System 60 71 29 457 26 1,106

Wildland Fire Management

Fire Preparedness 1,258 2,155 1,245 0 0 0

Fire Operations -- Suppression 0 0 0 0 0 0

Hazardous Fuels 1,663 1,600 1,505 76 70 60

Rehabilitation and Restoration (NFP) 0 0 0 0 0 0

Fire Research and Development (NFP) 7,281 7,695 7,545 3,451 3,387 3,452

Joint Fire Sciences 0 0 263 0 0 0

Forest Health Management -- Federal Lands (NFP) 0 0 150 0 0 0

Forest Health Management -- Cooperative Lands (NFP) 0 0 0 0 0 65

State Fire Assistance (NFP) 0 0 0 0 0 0

Volunteer Fire Assistance (NFP) 0 0 0 0 0 0

Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration 0 0 0

Total, Wildland Fire Management 10,202 11,450 10,708 3,528 3,457 3,577

Use of Prior Year Funds 0 0 0 0 0 0

FLAME Wildfire Suppression Reserve Fund 0 0 0 0 0 0

Capital Improvement & Maintenance

Facilities 1,163 1,771 3,596 2,325 1,409 579

Roads 0 0 0 62 0 0

Trails 0 0 0 9 0 0

Infrastructure Improvement 27 0 0 56 0 0

Legacy Roads and Trails 0 0 0 0 0 0

Total, Capital Improvement & Maintenance 1,190 1,771 3,596 2,452 1,409 579

Land Acquisition

Land Acquisition -- Land and Water Conservation Fund 0 0 0 0 0 0

Acquisition of Lands for National Forests, Special Acts 0 0 0 0 0 0

Acquisition of Lands to Complete Land Exchanges 0 0 0 0 0 0

Total, Land Acquisition 0 0 0 0 0 0

Range Betterment Fund 0 0 0 0 0 0

Gifts, Donations, and Bequests for Research 0 0 0 0 0 0

Management of NF Lands for Subsistence Uses 0 0 0 0 0 0

TOTAL, Forest Service (DISCRETIONARY) 52,779 55,292 59,063 63,246 63,550 64,313

Permanent Working Funds 22 100 100 20 10 15

Trust Funds 700 800 184 1,200 500 367

Supplemental Funding

Hurricane/Flood Supp

Rehab & Restoration Supp

Hazardous Fuels Supp

Hazardous Fuels S&PF 

Firefighter Retention Supp

TOTAL, ALL FUNDS 53,501 56,192 59,347 64,466 64,060 64,695

1/ Totals do not include payment to states

2/ Permanent & Trust funds amounts = allocations for 

current year operations, not total receipts

3/ Discrepancy in FY10 RBRB and FJRF allocations 

 ROCKY MTN RESEARCH STATION NORTHERN RESEARCH STATION

Includes direct program + cost pool funding allocated to Regions, 

Stations and Area

FY2009 through FY2011

($ in Thousands)
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Special Exhibits 14 - 79

Region, Station and Area Allocations FY 2009 – 2011

FY09 FY10 FY11 FY09 FY10 FY11

Forest and Rangeland Research 41,546 42,444 42,249 19,866 20,645 20,830

State & Private Forestry

Forest Health Management - Federal Lands 0 630 0 0 39 161

State Fire Assistance 0 264 0 0 16 0

Forest Health Management - Cooperative Lands 417 469 400 146 4 0

Volunteer Fire Assistance 0 0 0 0 0 0

Forest Stewardship 0 313 0 48 19 0

Forest Legacy Program 71 60 0 0 4 0

Community Forest & Open Space Conservation 0 237 0 58 15 0

Urban and Community Forestry 0 0 0 0 0 0

Economic Action Program 0 0 1,005 0 0 0

Forest Resources Information and Analysis 0 0 0 0 0 0

International Forestry 0 0

Total, State & Private Forestry 488 1,973 1,405 252 97 161

National Forest System

Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration 0 0 0 0 0 0

Land Management Planning 606 600 600 0 0 0

Inventory and Monitoring 0 0 0 0 0 0

Recreation, Heritage, and Wilderness 0 0 0 0 0 28 Wildlife and Fisheries Habitat Management 0 0 0 0 0 0

Grazing Management 0 0 0 0 0 0

Forest Products 205 200 200 492 480 480

Vegetation and Watershed Management 0 0 0 0 0 0

Minerals and Geology Management 0 0 0 0 0 0

Landownership Management 0 0 0 0 0 0

Law Enforcement Operations 0 0 0 0 0 0

Valles Caldera National Preserve 0 0

Total, National Forest System 811 800 800 492 480 508

Wildland Fire Management

Fire Preparedness 0 0 0 0 0 0

Fire Operations -- Suppression 0 0 0 0 0 0

Hazardous Fuels 184 370 340 76 70 60

Rehabilitation and Restoration (NFP) 0 0 0 0 0 0

Fire Research and Development (NFP) 3,471 3,865 4,061 3,011 2,955 2,985

Joint Fire Sciences 0 0 1,111 0 0 469

Forest Health Management -- Federal Lands (NFP) 513 400 400 0 0 75

Forest Health Management -- Cooperative Lands (NFP) 0 0 20 0 0 0

State Fire Assistance (NFP) 0 -9 0 0 0 0

Volunteer Fire Assistance (NFP) 0 0 0 0 0 0

Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration

Total, Wildland Fire Management 4,168 4,626 5,932 3,087 3,025 3,589

Use of Prior Year Funds 0 0 0 0 0 0

FLAME Wildfire Suppression Reserve Fund 0 0 0 0 0 0

Capital Improvement & Maintenance

Facilities 91 5,086 5,469 872 1,460 580

Roads 0 3 0 0 0 200

Trails 0 0 0 0 0 0

Infrastructure Improvement 2 0 0 20 0 850

Legacy Roads and Trails 0 0 0 0 0 0

Total, Capital Improvement & Maintenance 93 5,089 5,469 893 1,460 1,630

Land Acquisition

Land Acquisition -- Land and Water Conservation Fund 0 0 0 0 0 0

Acquisition of Lands for National Forests, Special Acts 0 0 0 0 0 0

Acquisition of Lands to Complete Land Exchanges 0 0 0 0 0 0

Total, Land Acquisition 0 0 0 0 0 0

Range Betterment Fund 0 0 0 0 0 0

Gifts, Donations, and Bequests for Research 0 0 0 0 0 0

Management of NF Lands for Subsistence Uses 0 0 0 0 0 0

TOTAL, Forest Service (DISCRETIONARY) 47,105 54,933 55,855 24,589 25,707 26,718

Permanent Working Funds 20 20 35 903 2,671 2,705

Trust Funds 850 305 288 2,043 2,043 618

Supplemental Funding

Hurricane/Flood Supp

Rehab & Restoration Supp

Hazardous Fuels Supp

Hazardous Fuels S&PF 

Firefighter Retention Supp

TOTAL, ALL FUNDS 47,975 55,258 56,178 27,535 30,421 30,041

1/ Totals do not include payment to states

2/ Permanent & Trust funds amounts = allocations for 

current year operations, not total receipts

3/ Discrepancy in FY10 RBRB and FJRF allocations 

Includes direct program + cost pool funding allocated to Regions, 

Stations and Area

FY2009 through FY2011

($ in Thousands)

 PACIFIC NORTHWEST RESEARCH STATION PACIFIC SOUTHWEST RESEARCH STATION
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Special Exhibits 14 - 80

Region, Station and Area Allocations FY 2009 – 2011

FY09 FY10 FY11 FY09 FY10 FY11

Forest and Rangeland Research 50,824 52,248 52,354 3,548 2,924 3,878

State & Private Forestry

Forest Health Management - Federal Lands 0 60 80 10 25 39

State Fire Assistance 0 15 0 348 458 338

Forest Health Management - Cooperative Lands 573 610 570 178 187 196

Volunteer Fire Assistance 0 0 0 52 60 57

Forest Stewardship 379 437 423 321 274 347

Forest Legacy Program 9 10 10 58 1,580 87

Community Forest & Open Space Conservation 62 72 58 506 428 477

Urban and Community Forestry 0 0 0 0 0 0

Economic Action Program 4,766 4,878 1,372 0 0 0

Forest Resources Information and Analysis 0 0 0 0 0 0

International Forestry 0 0

Total, State & Private Forestry 5,791 6,082 2,513 1,473 3,012 1,541

National Forest System

Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration 0 0 0 20 0 48

Land Management Planning 606 600 600 0 0 0

Inventory and Monitoring 0 0 0 0 0 0

Recreation, Heritage, and Wilderness 0 0 0 0 0 0 Wildlife and Fisheries Habitat Management 0 0 0 0 0 0

Grazing Management 0 0 0 0 0 0

Forest Products 248 200 200 17 0 25

Vegetation and Watershed Management 0 0 0 0 0 0

Minerals and Geology Management 0 0 0 0 0 0

Landownership Management 0 0 0 0 0 0

Law Enforcement Operations 0 0 0 0 0 0

Valles Caldera National Preserve 0 0

Total, National Forest System 854 800 800 37 0 73

Wildland Fire Management

Fire Preparedness 0 0 0 0 0 0

Fire Operations -- Suppression 0 0 0 0 0 0

Hazardous Fuels 76 270 240 0 0 0

Rehabilitation and Restoration (NFP) 0 0 0 0 0 0

Fire Research and Development (NFP) 2,575 2,527 2,527 0 0 0

Joint Fire Sciences 0 0 422 0 0 0

Forest Health Management -- Federal Lands (NFP) 513 400 400 0 0 0

Forest Health Management -- Cooperative Lands (NFP) 0 14 60 0 0 0

State Fire Assistance (NFP) 0 14 0 140 109 145

Volunteer Fire Assistance (NFP) 0 0 0 78 78 78

Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration

Total, Wildland Fire Management 3,164 3,225 3,649 218 187 224

Use of Prior Year Funds 0 0 0 0 0

FLAME Wildfire Suppression Reserve Fund 0 0 0

Capital Improvement & Maintenance

Facilities 1,271 1,696 2,414 307 519 50

Roads 0 0 0 1 0 0

Trails 0 0 0 3 0 0

Infrastructure Improvement 32 0 0 7 0 0

Legacy Roads and Trails 0 0 0 0 0 0

Total, Capital Improvement & Maintenance 1,302 1,696 2,414 318 519 50

Land Acquisition

Land Acquisition -- Land and Water Conservation Fund 0 0 0 0 0 0

Acquisition of Lands for National Forests, Special Acts 0 0 0 0 0 0

Acquisition of Lands to Complete Land Exchanges 0 0 0 0 0 0

Total, Land Acquisition 0 0 0 0 0 0

Range Betterment Fund 0 0 0 0 0 0

Gifts, Donations, and Bequests for Research 0 0 0 0 0 0

Management of NF Lands for Subsistence Uses 0 0 0 0 0 0

TOTAL, Forest Service (DISCRETIONARY) 61,935 64,051 61,730 5,593 6,642 5,765

Permanent Working Funds 2 3 8 0 0 0

Trust Funds 812 2,010 1,503 398 120 73

Supplemental Funding

Hurricane/Flood Supp

Rehab & Restoration Supp

Hazardous Fuels Supp

Hazardous Fuels S&PF 

Firefighter Retention Supp

TOTAL, ALL FUNDS 62,749 66,064 63,241 5,991 6,762 5,838

1/ Totals do not include payment to states

2/ Permanent & Trust funds amounts = allocations for 

current year operations, not total receipts

3/ Discrepancy in FY10 RBRB and FJRF allocations 

 IITF

Includes direct program + cost pool funding allocated to Regions, 

Stations and Area

FY2009 through FY2011

($ in Thousands)

 SOUTHERN RESEARCH STATION
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Special Exhibits 14 - 81

Region, Station and Area Allocations FY 2009 – 2011

 NE AREA STATE & PRIVATE FOREST ASC WO

FY09 FY10 FY11 FY09 FY10 FY11

Forest and Rangeland Research 0 114 31 29,708 33,144 30,285

State & Private Forestry

Forest Health Management - Federal Lands 8,200 11,534 12,513 4,924 5,299 4,378

State Fire Assistance 6,401 8,686 6,707 845 904 754

Forest Health Management - Cooperative Lands 4,898 14,224 17,964 928 1,100 1,069

Volunteer Fire Assistance 2,315 2,702 2,578 0 0 0

Forest Stewardship 7,806 9,200 9,803 1,300 1,101 1,011

Forest Legacy Program 1,566 27,247 24,967 360 527 396

Community Forest & Open Space Conservation 0 0

Urban and Community Forestry 7,713 8,504 10,395 785 831 713

Economic Action Program 0 1,800 0 0 0 0

Forest Resources Information and Analysis 0 0 0 167 100 266

International Forestry 0 2 0 432 527 511

Total, State & Private Forestry 38,900 83,898 84,927 9,742 10,389 9,097

National Forest System

Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration 0 0

Land Management Planning 0 20 0 5,683 6,088 4,989

Inventory and Monitoring 0 68 0 16,393 19,117 16,102

Recreation, Heritage, and Wilderness 0 154 1 37,216 41,819 41,251 Wildlife and Fisheries Habitat Management 0 63 0 15,210 17,401 15,821

Grazing Management 0 27 0 6,792 7,590 6,998

Forest Products 0 168 0 47,570 48,698 46,452

Vegetation and Watershed Management 0 80 0 21,129 22,215 20,795

Minerals and Geology Management 0 31 0 8,939 9,166 8,661

Landownership Management 0 41 0 10,842 12,156 11,251

Law Enforcement Operations 0 51 0 12,614 15,604 14,518

Valles Caldera National Preserve 0 0 0 0 0 0

Total, National Forest System 0 704 1 182,388 199,853 186,840

Wildland Fire Management

Fire Preparedness 51 35 15 25,688 29,106 35,735

Fire Operations -- Suppression 0 0 0 102,759 117,120 103,164

Hazardous Fuels 5 155 105 34,746 41,492 39,754

Rehabilitation and Restoration (NFP) 0 2 0 175 619 416

Fire Research and Development (NFP) 0 8 0 1,910 2,104 1,809

Joint Fire Sciences 0 0 0 0 0 0

Forest Health Management -- Federal Lands (NFP) 5 9 4 1,021 1,221 1,593

Forest Health Management -- Cooperative Lands (NFP) 3 4 81 209 389 391

State Fire Assistance (NFP) 8,224 9,141 11,144 23 15 47

Volunteer Fire Assistance (NFP) 2,250 2,250 2,246 0 0 0

Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration 0 0 0 1,226

Total, Wildland Fire Management 10,539 11,604 13,595 166,529 192,066 184,134

Use of Prior Year Funds 0 0 0 0 0 0

FLAME Wildfire Suppression Reserve Fund 0 0 0 0 0 0

Capital Improvement & Maintenance

Facilities 902 37 0 8,793 9,636 8,464

Roads 0 83 0 21,310 23,816 22,144

Trails 0 45 0 9,326 10,592 9,452

Infrastructure Improvement 21 1 0 297 238 253

Legacy Roads and Trails 0 6 0 0 1,364 1,778

Total, Capital Improvement & Maintenance 923 172 0 39,725 45,646 42,090

Land Acquisition

Land Acquisition -- Land and Water Conservation Fund 0 4 0 1,149 1,344 548

Acquisition of Lands for National Forests, Special Acts 0 0 0 0 0 0

Acquisition of Lands to Complete Land Exchanges 0 0 0 0 0 0

Total, Land Acquisition 0 4 0 1,149 1,344 548

Range Betterment Fund 0 0 0 0 0 0

Gifts, Donations, and Bequests for Research 0 0 0 0 0 0

Management of NF Lands for Subsistence Uses 0 1 0 333 390 255

TOTAL, Forest Service (DISCRETIONARY) 50,362 96,499 98,553 429,573 482,833 453,249

Permanent Working Funds 9 37 1 9,223 7,788 4,625

Trust Funds 0 41 0 10,734 11,215 8,769

Supplemental Funding

Hurricane/Flood Supp 0

Rehab & Restoration Supp 0

Hazardous Fuels Supp 0

Hazardous Fuels S&PF 0

Firefighter Retention Supp 0

TOTAL, ALL FUNDS 50,371 96,577 98,554 449,530 501,836 466,643

1/ Totals do not include payment to states

2/ Permanent & Trust funds amounts = allocations for 

current year operations, not total receipts

3/ Discrepancy in FY10 RBRB and FJRF allocations 

Includes direct program + cost pool funding allocated to Regions, 

Stations and Area

FY2009 through FY2011

($ in Thousands)
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Special Exhibits 14 - 82

Region, Station and Area Allocations FY 2009 – 2011

 WO National4

 Forest Service 

Total

FY09 FY10 FY11 FY09 FY10 FY11

Forest and Rangeland Research 19,472 21,253 23,568 14,971 18,963 8,569

State & Private Forestry

Forest Health Management - Federal Lands 6,432 6,506 6,861 9,198 7,393 4,917

State Fire Assistance 2,508 2,513 3,037 7,464 4,108 811

Forest Health Management - Cooperative Lands 1,770 1,762 1,483 20,976 11,514 1,116

Volunteer Fire Assistance 0 0 0 0 0 0

Forest Stewardship 2,478 2,574 2,767 3,386 3,756 1,206

Forest Legacy Program 1,549 1,349 1,385 44,005 502 297

Community Forest & Open Space Conservation 0 500 1,000

Urban and Community Forestry 1,400 1,905 1,930 5,997 4,502 2,436

Economic Action Program 0 0 0 4,973 0 0

Forest Resources Information and Analysis 27 35 50 40 21 62

International Forestry 6,843 9,177 8,501 1,224 113 480

Total, State & Private Forestry 23,006 25,821 26,013 97,263 32,409 12,325

National Forest System

Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration 0 0

Land Management Planning 8,823 8,116 11,066 2,281 5,119 1,308

Inventory and Monitoring 44,861 45,397 47,942 3,828 3,935 3,781

Recreation, Heritage, and Wilderness 15,248 15,997 19,459 9,686 9,649 8,851 Wildlife and Fisheries Habitat Management 7,232 7,924 8,520 3,985 3,974 4,104

Grazing Management 1,719 2,039 2,245 1,629 1,577 1,658

Forest Products 21,592 19,312 21,274 11,363 10,318 10,715

Vegetation and Watershed Management 13,533 17,343 18,601 7,286 7,102 6,802

Minerals and Geology Management 4,663 10,470 10,595 2,182 1,992 2,093

Landownership Management 8,834 8,838 9,805 2,669 2,602 2,740

Law Enforcement Operations 8,139 8,076 8,270 114,747 121,316 121,465

Valles Caldera National Preserve 0 0 0 0 3,500 3,432

Total, National Forest System 134,644 143,446 157,778 159,656 171,083 166,949

Wildland Fire Management

Fire Preparedness 73,584 78,767 83,328 5,749 16,706 6,466

Fire Operations -- Suppression 19,279 184,182 206,733 871,909 696,203 685,614

Hazardous Fuels 12,797 14,672 19,192 8,571 8,929 11,247

Rehabilitation and Restoration (NFP) 33 96 93 885 720 85

Fire Research and Development (NFP) 261 255 303 1,240 419 484

Joint Fire Sciences 0 0 0 8,000 5,000 5,719

Forest Health Management -- Federal Lands (NFP) 202 219 374 1,488 954 558

Forest Health Management -- Cooperative Lands (NFP) 39 65 82 1,117 1,925 447

State Fire Assistance (NFP) 82 133 116 23,613 26,548 5,486

Volunteer Fire Assistance (NFP) 0 0 0 0 0 0

Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration 0 239 0 290

Total, Wildland Fire Management 106,277 278,389 310,461 922,571 757,403 716,396

Use of Prior Year Funds 0 0 0 0 -75,000 0

FLAME Wildfire Suppression Reserve Fund 0 0 0 200,000 413,000 290,418

Capital Improvement & Maintenance

Facilities 4,248 3,833 4,454 3,679 3,278 1,879

Roads 6,080 6,942 8,183 5,120 5,048 5,050

Trails 2,863 2,848 3,231 1,937 1,912 1,937

Infrastructure Improvement 117 104 118 71 749 57

Legacy Roads and Trails 0 223 386 0 249 375

Total, Capital Improvement & Maintenance 13,308 13,951 16,373 10,807 11,236 9,299

Land Acquisition

Land Acquisition -- Land and Water Conservation Fund 178 476 102 38,624 55,815 23,723

Acquisition of Lands for National Forests, Special Acts 0 0 0 0 0 1,048

Acquisition of Lands to Complete Land Exchanges 0 0 0 250 250 0

Total, Land Acquisition 178 476 102 38,874 56,065 24,771

Range Betterment Fund 0 0 0 3,600 1,012 0

Gifts, Donations, and Bequests for Research 0 0 0 50 30 50

Management of NF Lands for Subsistence Uses 52 54 47 82 85 63

TOTAL, Forest Service (DISCRETIONARY) 296,938 483,391 534,341 1,447,875 1,386,286 1,228,839

Permanent Working Funds 2,151 15,858 2,063 7,066 4,593 4,594

Trust Funds 2,035 1,877 2,437 2,475 2,275 2,018

Supplemental Funding

Hurricane/Flood Supp 0 0

Rehab & Restoration Supp 0 0

Hazardous Fuels Supp 0 0

Hazardous Fuels S&PF 0 0

Firefighter Retention Supp 0 25,000

TOTAL, ALL FUNDS 301,124 501,127 538,841 1,482,416 1,393,155 1,235,451

1/ Totals do not include payment to states

2/ Permanent & Trust funds amounts = allocations for 

current year operations, not total receipts

3/ Discrepancy in FY10 RBRB and FJRF allocations 

4/Managed for FLAME, Law Enforcement, Land 

Acquisition Purchases

Includes direct program + cost pool funding allocated to Regions, 

Stations and Area

FY2009 through FY2011

($ in Thousands)
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Special Exhibits 14 - 83

Region, Station and Area Allocations FY 2009 – 2011

 Forest Service Total

FY09 FY10 FY11

Forest and Rangeland Research 296,380 312,012 306,637

State & Private Forestry

Forest Health Management - Federal Lands 54,110 57,282 56,737

State Fire Assistance 35,000 39,147 32,358

Forest Health Management - Cooperative Lands 46,292 48,573 48,821

Volunteer Fire Assistance 6,000 7,000 6,680

Forest Stewardship 27,000 29,369 32,548

Forest Legacy Program 49,445 75,960 52,894

Community Forest & Open Space Conservation 500 1,000

Urban and Community Forestry 29,541 30,377 32,040

Economic Action Program 4,973 5,000 0

Forest Resources Information and Analysis 5,000 5,035 5,026

International Forestry 8,500 9,818 9,492

Total, State & Private Forestry 265,861 308,061 277,596

National Forest System

Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration 14,970

Land Management Planning 48,833 45,917 45,033

Inventory and Monitoring 167,580 170,502 167,219

Recreation, Heritage, and Wilderness 277,635 285,117 281,627

Wildlife and Fisheries Habitat Management 139,385 143,014 140,260

Grazing Management 50,000 50,714 49,738

Forest Products 332,666 336,722 336,049

Vegetation and Watershed Management 180,437 187,960 184,341

Minerals and Geology Management 85,470 87,240 83,560

Landownership Management 93,299 95,605 91,765

Law Enforcement Operations 135,500 145,047 144,254

Valles Caldera National Preserve 4,000 3,500 3,432

Total, National Forest System 1,514,806 1,551,339 1,542,248

Wildland Fire Management

Fire Preparedness 675,000 675,000 673,650

Fire Operations -- Suppression 993,947 997,505 995,511

Hazardous Fuels 328,087 340,286 339,604

Rehabilitation and Restoration (NFP) 11,500 11,600 11,477

Fire Research and Development (NFP) 23,917 23,917 23,869

Joint Fire Sciences 8,000 5,000 7,984

Forest Health Management -- Federal Lands (NFP) 17,252 20,752 20,710

Forest Health Management -- Cooperative Lands (NFP) 9,928 11,428 11,405

State Fire Assistance (NFP) 55,000 71,250 64,870

Volunteer Fire Assistance (NFP) 9,000 9,000 8,982

Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration 10,000 9,980

Total, Wildland Fire Management 2,131,631 2,175,738 2,168,042

Use of Prior Year Funds 0 -75,000 0

FLAME Wildfire Suppression Reserve Fund 200,000 413,000 290,418

Capital Improvement & Maintenance

Facilities 126,453 135,010 135,000

Roads 228,825 236,521 195,195

Trails 81,015 85,381 88,381

Infrastructure Improvement 9,100 9,141 9,158

Legacy Roads and Trails 50,000 90,000 44,910

Total, Capital Improvement & Maintenance 495,393 556,053 472,644

Land Acquisition

Land Acquisition -- Land and Water Conservation Fund 49,775 63,522 32,934

Acquisition of Lands for National Forests, Special Acts 1,050 1,050 1,048

Acquisition of Lands to Complete Land Exchanges 250 250 0

Total, Land Acquisition 51,075 64,822 33,982

Range Betterment Fund 3,600 3,600 2,552

Gifts, Donations, and Bequests for Research 50 50 50

Management of NF Lands for Subsistence Uses 5,000 2,582 2,577

TOTAL, Forest Service (DISCRETIONARY) 4,963,796 5,312,257 5,096,746

Permanent Working Funds 338,153 289,658 226,080

Trust Funds 188,349 176,333 167,007

Supplemental Funding

Hurricane/Flood Supp 30,000

Rehab & Restoration Supp 75,000

Hazardous Fuels Supp 50,000

Hazardous Fuels S&PF 125,000

Firefighter Retention Supp 25,000

TOTAL, ALL FUNDS 5,795,298 5,778,249 5,489,833

1/ Totals do not include payment to states

2/ Permanent & Trust funds amounts = allocations for 

current year operations, not total receipts

3/ Discrepancy in FY10 RBRB and FJRF allocations 

Includes direct program + cost pool funding allocated to Regions, 

Stations and Area

FY2009 through FY2011

($ in Thousands)
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Special Exhibits 14 - 84

(This page intentionally left blank)
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Special Exhibits 14 - 85

Research and Development Threat Assessment Centers

Overview

The Eastern Forest and Western Wildland Environmental Threat Assessment Centers (EFETAC and 

WWETAC) are national leaders in developing knowledge and tools to protect and sustain the nation‘s 

forests and rangelands. The Centers partner with government agencies, universities, and nongovernmental organizations to improve the collective national capacity to predict, detect, and assess 

threats to forests and wildlands. The mission of the Centers requires them to be responsive to emerging 

issues and high-priority policy initiatives such as invasive species, climate change, carbon sequestration, 

fuels management, and wildland fire risk. The work of the Centers is essential to ensuring that resource 

managers and stakeholders are equipped with the latest information and state-of-the-art technology.

The Eastern Forest Environmental Threat Assessment Center (EFETAC)

EFETAC is engaged in multiple projects at the forefront of technology development, application, and 

transfer in forest threat detection and assessment. We are employing satellite imagery to systematically 

monitor forest conditions across the U.S. and characterize changes across broad landscapes. Researchers 

are using new protocols to develop indicators of landscape change, and providing land managers and 

policy makers with new tools for strategic planning. Additionally, Center scientists and partners are 

addressing emerging issues and collaborating to create tools and resources related to forest ecosystems, 

water quality, biodiversity, and wildfires—all within a context of changing climate, increasing human 

populations, and dynamic socioeconomic constraints.

FY 2011 – FY2013 EFETAC Allocation (dollars in thousands)

Expenditures FY 2011 FY 2012 FY 2013

Personnel $2,856 $2,864 $2,870 

Partnerships, Technology Acquisitions,

and Grants & Agreements 1,512 1,490 1,484

Equipment & Supplies 91 92 92

Communications 51 58 58

Travel 142 108 108

Rent & Utilities 256 275 275

Indirect Costs 419 439 439

Other 8 9 9

Total $5,335 $5,335 $5,335 

FY 2011 EFETAC Past Performance

Introduced the web-based Forest Change Assessment Viewer threat mapping system, a key 

component of an integrated National Warning System, and demonstrated its utility in mapping 

disturbances such as tornadoes, wildfires, and extreme drought. Vegetation changes from the 

historic April 2011 tornado outbreak were mapped, along with timber damage within more than a 

dozen tornado tracks across northern Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia. Forest and natural 

resource managers can use the web-based tool to rapidly detect, identify, and respond to 

unexpected changes on forest and rangelands and agricultural crops. 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Special Exhibits 14 - 86

Expanded the web-based Template for Assessing Climate Change Impacts and Management 

Options (TACCIMO), now being used in the Southern Region and tested in the Eastern and 

Pacific Southwest Regions. The tool allows users to efficiently capture customized and location 

specific climate change science to support analysis and expert consultation during resource 

stewardship. Recent advances include expanded and searchable climate literature database, 

streamlined reporting functionality, and additional support and training resources.

Integrated the Comparative Risk Assessment Framework and Tools (CRAFT) within the National 

Cohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy to help regional strategy committees identify and 

evaluate alternative courses of action and guide the national strategy. EFETAC staff worked 

directly with regional committees to help them understand and apply CRAFT principles and 

developed a suite of tools within CRAFT specific to the Cohesive Strategy. 

Advanced the Water Supply Stress Index-Carbon and Biodiversity (WaSSI-CB) model and held 

workshops in Mexico and Rwanda that reached more than 100 international scientists, land 

managers, and policy makers. The model quantifies the potential impact of land use practices on 

water quality and quantity and helps conservation agencies make sound land management 

decisions. 

Determined locations where climate change pressures are likely to be most intense to help natural 

resource managers, land use planners, and conservation organizations target tree species for 

monitoring, conservation, and management activities. Using Forecasts of Climate-Associated 

Shifts in Tree Species (ForeCASTS) models, researchers mapped global range shifts for 215 tree 

species under different climate change models and emissions scenarios for the years 2050 and 

2100. 

Developed the Forest Tree Genetic Risk Assessment System framework, a web-based tool that 

allows managers to assess the relative risk of genetic degradation to forest trees affected by 

multiple threats. The framework is being used by the Southern and Pacific Northwest Regions to 

identify species at risk as a step towards developing management plans.

Focused on pathways for human-assisted spread of forest pest species, including merchandise 

imports and firewood transport. Research results anticipate where and how often invasive alien 

forest insects are likely to be established to assist U.S. and Canadian decision makers and offer 

guidance for border control efforts, post-border surveillance, and rapid-response measures.

FY 2012 EFETAC Program 

Continue development of tools and products to support a National Early Warning System, 

including remote and site-level satellite imagery to detect changes in vegetation and allow rapid 

detection and assessment of environmental disturbances. Continue to advance the Forest Change 

Assessment Viewer websites. Initiate web-based training and educational sessions to encourage 

use.

Continue to provide scientific and analytical support to the National Cohesive Wildland Fire 

Management Strategy by leading and serving on the national science and analysis team tasked 

with quantitatively evaluating regional alternatives designed to reduce risk.

Continue to improve and expand the Template for Assessing Climate Change Impacts and 

Management Options (TACCIMO) that incorporates climate change science and forest planning 

information for the eastern and western United States.

Expand the Water Supply Stress Index – Carbon and Biodiversity (WaSSI-CB) modeling system 

for evaluating effects of climate change on water resources, carbon sequestration, and changes in 

biodiversity at national and international scales.

Improve wildfire risk assessment by producing national vegetation maps on a continuous basis 

that monitor trends in vegetation changes.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Special Exhibits 14 - 87

Refine the Comparative Risk Assessment Framework and Tools (CRAFT), hold additional 

workshops, and advance web tools that enhance stakeholder use.

Continue development of advanced pest risk assessment tools and techniques for predicting the 

introduction and spread of non-native insects and pathogens.

Regularly engage the Technical User Group (TUG) to encourage awareness of and input to the 

Threat Assessment Centers‘ activities related to research priorities and technology transfer 

efforts.

Deliver a comprehensive, web-based invasive plants database useful to land managers, scientists, 

and the general public.

Advance technology transfer efforts by inviting internationally recognized experts to workshops, 

publishing policy-relevant papers, presenting to scientific and non-scientific audiences, revising 

the Center website to ensure widespread distribution of products and services, and collaborating 

to plan webinars and technology-driven outreach methods to engage diverse audiences.

FY 2013 EFETAC Workplan 

Continue to advance the National Early Warning System and component web-based tools, 

resources, outreach, and partnerships.

Expand research in areas including wildland fire modeling, threat interaction mapping, hazardous 

fuels treatment decision support systems, broad-scale vegetation monitoring, hydrologic 

modeling, best management practices, pest risk assessment, and climate change. 

Develop tools for projecting interactions between climate change and forest insect pests.

Increase communications and technology transfer emphases, which include developing and 

hosting a series of training and educational workshops and informational sessions that introduce 

forest managers to Center technologies; enhancing website presence with videos and other 

interactive components; and providing relevant research, tools, and activities information to 

internal and external publications to increase awareness.

Expand the role of the Centers in providing analytical support to public and private landowners 

and fire management officials at multiple scales. This work will continue efforts begun as part of 

the National Cohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy by promoting the use of advanced 

tools and information across all lands and within all jurisdictions.

Continue to lead efforts and support national Forest Health Monitoring activities and related 

programs and assessments.

Continue to collaborate and initiate key efforts to expand the web-based Climate Change 

Resource Center (CCRC).

The Western Wildland Environmental Threat Assessment Center (WWETAC)

The WWETAC provides early detection and prediction of the potential effects of multiple, interacting 

threats and stresses. It hosts workshops and conferences to identify and synthesize current knowledge 

regarding threat assessment and improve predictive modeling. WWETAC has initiated collaborative 

agreements with universities, government (local and federal) agencies, and non-governmental 

organizations to advance the application of remote sensing and geospatial technologies, and make 

assessment tools and data more accessible to analysts and managers. 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Special Exhibits 14 - 88

FY 2011 – FY 2013 WWETAC Allocations (dollars in thousands)

Expenditures FY 2011 FY 2012 FY 2013

Personnel $812 $620 $670

Partnerships, Technology Acquisitions,

and Grants & Agreements 1,000 1,081.5 1,020

Equipment & Supplies 20 20 20

Communications 150 155 160

Travel 38 32 32

Rent & Utilities 84 76 78

Indirect Costs 296 415.5 420

Total Budget $ 2,400 $2,400 $2,400

FY 2011 WWETAC Past Performance

Completed two sociological studies that identified four different types of private land owners 

based on their land use and motivation that will require different incentives to encourage carbon 

sequestration. 

Produced two key syntheses intended for land managers: forest ecosystems and climate change, 

and reviewing ecological models responsive to climate change. 

Completed a dynamic vegetation model specifically parameterized for Region 3 and Region 6 

that provides estimates for regional carbon pools and fluxes. It features down-scaled climate 

scenarios that describe which areas have good agreement among different climate scenarios, and 

which do not. The areas where there is uncertainty also indicate areas of risk: the manager will 

have to increase the range of adaptive and mitigative approaches to accommodate the uncertainty. 

Completed work in landscape assessment which included an annotated bibliography of threats to 

western riparian ecosystems; an analysis of existing incentive programs for encouraging 

landowners to engage in restoration and protection of ecosystem services; a landscape 

vulnerability assessment and its management application in northeast Oregon; an updated 

landscape assessment tool for detection of change to owl habitat; a new assessment tool to help 

select and appropriate seed zone sources within the context of climate change, and a new tool that 

allows managers to choose, pattern, and compare fuel management treatments and test differences 

in simulated wildfire risk.

Developed an empirical model from a large data base to predict the risk for bark beetle outbreaks. 

Quantified the effect of bark beetle outbreaks in lodgepole forests on carbon and nitrogen pool 

dynamics. 

Published a synthesis on the climate change impacts on forest disease. 

Updated an existing tool for fuels management (ArcFuels) as well as developed a new assessment 

tool, Landscape Treatment Designer (LTD), which is a multi-criteria spatial prioritization and 

optimization system to help design and explore landscape fuel treatment scenarios.

Completed a large review of quantitative wildfire management risk assessments. In simulations of 

wildfire behavior, fuels treatments three to six miles outside of the Wildland Urban Interface 

(WUI) were most effective in reducing mortality in large fire resilient trees. Similarly, treating 

stands near structures in the WUI lowered WUI wildfire risk, but resulted in an increased 

mortality of large trees in adjoining forest. 

Recruited and filled key positions: Assistant Center Director and Dynamic Vegetation Modeler.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Special Exhibits 14 - 89

FY 2012 WWETAC Program 

Improve communication and increase sharing of assessment tools with EFETAC, specifically 

working on interpretation of remote detection of forest change (MODIS-based EWS), and 

TACCIMO, a climate change reference for forest plan revision.

Develop regional and topical users groups of WWETAC assessment tools; develop list serves by 

topic for disseminating information.

Continue an open competitive application that focuses on the environmental threats and 

recommended management strategies, and encourages research and regional cooperation.

Conduct workshops on intermountain and west-side invasives, threats to large mammal ranges; 

climate change workshops, and west-wide human perception of threats.

Develop an assessment tool for prioritizing treatment of invasives in wildlands and 

wildlands/rural and wildlands/agricultural interfaces.

Develop a plan to roll out new assessment tools robust enough to be capable of Forest Service 

institutionalization.

Develop a robust framework for pathogens by function to more efficiently model effects on 

ecosystems.

Test the use of multispectral high resolution aerial imagery to remotely detect tree species and 

health attributes.

FY 2013 WWETAC Workplan 

Continue work with Eastern Threats Center on TACCIMO and MODIS-based early warning 

system to detect forest change.

Renew work on capability of MODIS to (1) detect pests and pathogens in the West; (2) early 

prediction of late summer drought (and wildfire). 

Provide landscape-level carbon and water pools and fluxes for regional and national forests using 

a dynamic vegetation model responsive to climate change scenarios.

Continue an open competitive application that focuses on the environmental threats and 

recommended management strategies, and encourages research and regional cooperation;

Continue workshops and increase webinars on the interactive effects of threats and management 

strategies.

Improve hydrologic modeling capabilities in the non-forested intermountain and forested 

mountainous terrain of the West.

Review current data bases on invasive plants; incorporate invasive plant GIS layer into 

WWETAC Threat-Mapper.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Special Exhibits 14 - 90

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FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

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Service First

Overview

Service First is a partnership authority for the Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), 

the National Park Service (NPS), and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS). (P.L. 106-291 as 

amended in 109-54, Title IV, Section 428). The Service First authorities were extended through FY 2011 

in Section 418 of Public Law 111-8. The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2012 (P.L. 112-74) extended 

Service First authority indefinitely changing the authority from a pilot program to a permanent authority. 

The Forest Service continues to strengthen partnerships between the BLM, NPS, and FWS to attain the 

three Service First goals of improving natural and cultural resource stewardship, enhancing customer 

service, and increasing operational efficiency. The four agencies provide national leadership, direction, 

and counsel on implementing the authorities and promoting the principles of Service First through the 

Service First Leadership Team (SFLT). The SFLT‘s goals include enhancing each agency‘s ability to 

meet its mission, increasing collective capacity to manage Federal resources on a landscape basis, 

overcoming institutional barriers that hinder interagency programs and initiatives, and improving 

constituent and customer service and resource management through streamlined processes, increased 

efficiencies, and use of emerging technologies.

Service First does not have a budget line item in the Forest Service but instead is funded from the 

program most appropriate, based on activity, within the National Forest System appropriation. 

FY 2013 Service First Goals 

In FY 2013, Service First will continue to focus on opportunities for co-location of agency facilities 

where feasible and appropriate. Co-location better facilitates inter-agency communication and results in 

integration of natural resource management across the landscape. It is one method for increasing 

coordination across resource programs that include conserving water, hazardous fuels reduction, 

landscape scale species conservation, sustaining our rural communities, nurturing youth through 

education and connections to the outdoors, and recreation management including off-highway vehicle 

(OHV) and trail management. 

Service First will also continue to make advances in creating an integrated information technology system 

where employees will be able to access other agencies‘ data and systems while maintaining appropriate 

security levels. Joint access to the more complex databases including Geographic Information Systems, 

invasive weed inventories, and other natural resource data will result in more seamless customer service 

and improve operational efficiency for shared employees and co-located offices. 

Finally, the agencies plan to build a strong interagency network with focused tools and regular outreach 

and information exchange such as best practices on Service First opportunities, challenges, and successes. 

FY 2011 Accomplishments

In FY 2011, the SFLT streamlined interagency agreement processes, developed a new national 

memorandum of understanding with clear guidance to the field on implementing Service First, resolved 

many information technology interoperability challenges between agencies, initiated joint land 

management evaluations, and tasked regional executives from the four Service First agencies to hold 

learning workshops, sharing best practices with field units.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Special Exhibits 14 - 92

Several examples of FY 2011 field accomplishments include:

The Mid-Columbia Service First Team provided a variety of conservation education and outreach 

events in southeastern Washington State including the Umatilla National Forest, the MidColumbia National Wildlife Refuge Complex, the National Park Service Whitman Mission 

Historic Site, and the US Army Corps of Engineers, participating through a separate agreement. 

Over 10,000 young people participated in the Team‘s programs in FY 2011, including a Salmon 

Summit, Natural Resources Career Day, Natural Resources Career Camp for Young Women, job 

fairs, conservation education programs, and classroom presentations. Forty percent of the

participants are minorities.

The San Juan National Forest and the BLM Tres Rios Field Office in southwest Colorado 

continue to develop a joint Land and Resource Management Plan. The plan will provide for 

integrated, landscape level, resource management on the 2.5 million acres of National Forest and 

BLM system lands that the units manage jointly under a Service First partnership. The plan is 

slated for completion in FY 2012.

The Southern Nevada Agency Partnership (SNAP), chartered in 1997, continues to operate under 

a local Service First Agreement among the BLM, NPS, FWS and the Forest Service. The SNAP 

organization consists of a four-member Board of Directors, 11 interagency teams and a small 

support staff. In FY 2011, the partnership focused efforts on implementation of 31 interagency 

projects in the areas of law enforcement, environmental education, cultural resource protection, 

habitat improvement, litter prevention and trash clean-up, recreation management, wilderness 

stewardship, volunteer engagement, research, and data sharing, totaling more than $100 million. 

These projects are funded through the Southern Nevada Public Lands Management Act 

(SNPLMA). Service First principles and authorities provide the foundation for partnership. Three 

of the four agencies share an office location. Personnel hired by one agency carry out work for 

the other agencies, and some are stationed with other agencies. Some staff members are jointly 

funded by multiple agencies. Agencies enter into contracts and agreements that benefit all of the 

partners. These and other means of working together continue to yield operational efficiencies 

and increase capacity to address management needs.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Special Exhibits 14 - 93

Stewardship Contracting

Overview

Stewardship contracts and agreements are used to manage natural resources by implementing ecosystem 

restoration projects. Stewardship contracts support new and emerging markets for utilization of wood 

removed through restoration activities (including use of woody biomass for energy), in addition to 

sustaining more traditional markets. Requests for proposals use best value criteria that emphasize 

maximum biomass utilization and creation of local jobs. This focus is intended to create green jobs and 

promote a diverse forest products industry to support sustainable communities and the forest contractor 

infrastructure needed to perform critical restoration work. The Forest Service can provide opportunities to 

achieve land and natural resource management goals while promoting closer public-private working 

relationships through stewardship contracts and agreements by using the value of forest products to offset 

the cost of services.

This special exhibit serves the purpose of meeting the Forest Service‘s annual reporting requirements to 

the Appropriations Committees of the U.S. House and Senate under stewardship contracting legislation 

(P.L. 105-277, Sec. 347(g)). Reporting requirements include: 

The status of development, execution, and administration of agreements or contracts 

The specific accomplishments that have resulted from agreements or contracts

The role of local communities in development of contract plans

The Stewardship Authority 

The stewardship contracting authority authorizes the Forest Service, via agreement or contract, to enter 

into stewardship projects to perform services to achieve land management goals and meet local and rural 

community needs. The authority is found under the Department of the Interior and Related 

Appropriations Act, 1999 (16 USC 2104 note) (P.L. 105-277, div. A, Sec. 101(e), [title III, Sec. 347], 

Oct. 21, 1998, Stat. 2681-231, amended by Department of the Interior and Related Appropriations Act, 

2003 (P.L. 108-7, div. F, [title III, Sec. 323], Feb. 20, 2003, 117 Stat. 275). Section 323 of P.L. 108-7 

supersedes the original authority granted to the Forest Service in section 347 of P.L. 105-277. 

Stewardship contracting enables the Forest Service to apply the value of timber or other forest products 

from stewardship sales as an offset against the costs to accomplish land and resource management 

objectives. If the offset value exceeds the value of the resource improvement treatments, those receipts 

are retained and deposited in the Stewardship Contracting Fund and are available, until expended, for 

other authorized stewardship projects. Stewardship contracts are awarded on a best-value basis and may 

be up to 10 years in duration. Stewardship contracting funds may be used for: 

Road and trail maintenance or obliteration to restore or maintain water quality; 

Work to improve soil productivity, habitat for wildlife and fisheries, or other resource values; 

Prescribed fires to improve the composition, structure, condition, and health of timber stands or 

improve wildlife habitat; 

Removal of vegetation or other activities to promote healthy forests, reduce fire hazards, or 

achieve other land management objectives; 

Watershed restoration and maintenance; 

Restoration and maintenance of wildlife and fisheries habitat; and 

Control of noxious and invasive weeds, and re-establishment of native plant species.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Special Exhibits 14 - 94

The Status of Development, Execution, and Administration of Stewardship Contracts or 

Agreements

In FY 2011, we continued to educate employees, partner organizations, and contractors about the use of 

stewardship contracting through informational brochures, and classroom and on-line training 

opportunities. This ensures a common understanding of stewardship contracting and facilitates its use in 

attaining land management goals while meeting local and rural community needs. 

Introductory Brochure

This brochure, developed during FY 2009 to provide a basic understanding of stewardship contracting 

was, due to high demand, reprinted and further distributed to the regions, forests, and the public. The 

brochure describes stewardship contracting concepts and benefits, how stewardship contracts are used, 

what is unique about them, and more. This color tri-fold brochure is available at Forest Service offices 

and the following website: 

http://www.fs.fed.us/fstoday/091106/03.0About_Us/stewardship_brochure.pdf 

Classroom Training

Designed for both Agency and external partners, the Forest Service continued to provide classroom 

training opportunities regarding:

Basic Stewardship Contracting 

Best Value Basis 

Collaboration

Tribal Forest Protection Act 

External Stewardship Training 

Stewardship Contract Preparation 

Stewardship Contract Administration 

Stewardship Accounting 

Stewardship Agreements 

In addition to classroom training, various self-paced computer-based tutorials continue to be updated and 

are available at the following stewardship contracting website: 

http://www.fs.fed.us/forestmanagement/stewardship/training/index.shtml

Peer Learning Sessions

The Forest Service partnered with the National Forest Foundation to hold peer learning sessions to 

facilitate knowledge transfer of stewardship contracting concepts. This session focused on increasing and 

enhancing use of stewardship contracting authorities, including stewardship agreements. The sessions 

were conducted in a webinar format, and consisted of a panel of successful practitioners that provided 

their experiences and answered participants‘ questions. Both Agency and external partners participated in 

these sessions. 

Blended Contract

In addition to the above resources, the Agency has developed a simplified blended stewardship contract. 

Development of this contract is part of USDA‘s Six-Sigma Improvement Initiative to make government 

work more efficiently. 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Special Exhibits 14 - 95

Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration (CFLR)

Ten projects across the country were selected for CFLR funding beginning in FY 2010. Ten additional 

projects were selected in FY 2012. Stewardship contracting is expected to be the primary instrument for 

implementing these projects - e.g. the Colorado Front Range Landscape Restoration project will be 

implemented through a 10-year stewardship contract. Refer to the National Forest System section for 

more details.

Specific Accomplishments 

The total use of stewardship contracting has decreased yet the breadth of accomplishments has expanded. 

For example, while acres of stewardship awards had declined, the acres of wildlife habitat restored have 

nearly doubled. The decrease in FY 2011 can be attributed, in part, to completion of the American 

Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funded contracts awarded in 2010. The broadening of 

accomplishments is attributed to better program integration including the availability of online resources 

and national training tools that factor in gaining understanding, confidence and expertise in use of 

stewardship authority. Stewardship contracting has proved to be a valuable tool in many locations to 

implement restoration activities and meet multiple land management objectives including hazardous fuels 

reduction, wildlife habitat improvement, forest health improvement, and nonnative invasive plant species 

control. Table 1 below shows specific actual or planned accomplishments during fiscal years 2007 –

2013. Table 2 below shows the acres awarded, number of contract or agreements awarded, and volume 

awarded during the fiscal years 2003-2011.

Table 1. Actual or Planned Stewardship Contracting Accomplishments (FY 2007 – 2013)

Accomplishment FY 

2007

FY 

2008

FY 

2009

FY

2010

FY 

2011

FY 

2012

Planned

FY 

2013

Planned

Acres of forest vegetation established 111 784 1,344 434 4,374 5,600 5,600

Acres of forest vegetation improved 14,275 15,85

4

16,388 29,44

5

32,69

4

98,700 98,700

Acres of noxious weeds/invasive 

plant treatments

193 869 6,535 732 1,604 107,700 107,700

Acres of wildlife habitat restored or 

improved

12,196 5,804 36,334 77,30

5

135,8

16

59,800 59,800

Miles of stream habitat restored or 

enhanced 

87 15 47 50 91 200 200

Miles of roads decommissioned 29 62 9 0 44 140 44

Miles of high clearance system roads 

improved

129 105 116 137 85 80 80

Miles of passenger car system roads 

improved

35 98 54 39 47 40 40

Volume of timber sold (hundred 

cubic feet (CCF))

655,072 678,3

28

743,41

7

1,133

,837

962,4

86

2,394,00

0

2,394,00

0

Volume of timber sold (million 

board feet (MMBF))

331 339 372 567 481 1,197 1,197

Green tons of biomass made 

available for energy production

383,767 213,2

38

467,26

6

735,0

07

477,9

21

1,556,00

0

1,556,00

0

Acres of stewardship 

contracts/agreements awarded

77,676 65,89

0

88,304 152,8

34

100,5

77

300,000 300,000
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Special Exhibits 14 - 96

Accomplishment FY 

2007

FY 

2008

FY 

2009

FY 

2010

FY 

2011

FY 

2012

Planned

FY 

2013

Planned

Acres of hazardous fuels treated to 

reduce the risk of catastrophic fires

49,938 58,06

7

69,607 123,2

61

103,5

22

180,000 180,000

Acres of wildland-urban interface 

(WUI) high-priority hazardous fuels 

treated

34,285 35,61

7

36,858 65,75

1

61,60

8

59,800 59,800

Number of stewardship 

contracts/agreements contributing to 

watersheds in fully functioning 

condition

4 7 4 59 13 20 20

Table 2. Acres awarded, number of contract or agreements awarded, and volume awarded during the 

fiscal years 2003-2011.

FY Acres 

Awarded

# of Contracts & 

Agreements

Volume 

Awarded (ccf)

2003 11,696 35 69,547

2004 43,187 53 102,143

2005 34,491 43 196,079

2006 60,344 91 471,996

2007 77,676 110 655,072

2008 65,890 130 678,328

2009 88,304 141 743,417

2010 152,834 232 1,133,837

2011 100,577 208 962,486

In many cases, multiple land management objectives have been or are planned to be met through a single 

treatment activity. For example, a hazardous fuel reduction treatment can also improve wildlife habitat. 

These accomplishments not only result in ecosystem benefits, but also forest products for manufacturing 

and energy production, and the creation of jobs contributing to sustainable communities.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Special Exhibits 14 - 97

Distribution of Stewardship Contracts from FY 1999 – 2010

This map shows stewardship contracts across the country from FY 1999 -2010. More than 870 stewardship contracts and 

agreements have been awarded since 1999 to improve the land and its resources.

Local Communities 

Collaboration with local communities is a key component of successful stewardship contracting. 

Collaborative efforts start early and continue throughout project planning, implementation, and 

monitoring. Collaboration during the development of stewardship contracting projects results in a sense 

of ownership in the project by the community, a better understanding by communities of natural resource 

issues, and increased public support. Collaboration also means the Forest Service can tailor stewardship 

offerings that address local issues, needs, and capabilities. 

We have contracted with the Pinchot Institute for Conservation to conduct a programmatic multiparty 

monitoring process through FY 2012. In prior years, the Pinchot Institute found that stewardship 

contracting was maturing, and support has grown significantly. One of the major benefits identified is that 

stewardship contracting offers increased opportunities to frame a set of collaboratively defined desired 

future conditions. Participants increasingly welcome the use of stewardship agreements as a way to 

involve more stakeholders, increase learning opportunities and positively influence forest management 

planning. The results of the FY 2011 programmatic monitoring efforts by the Pinchot Institute will be 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Special Exhibits 14 - 98

available in late winter or early spring 2012. When available, the entire report will be online at: 

http://www.fs.fed.us/forestmanagement/stewardship/reports/index.shtml

Stewardship Contracting Success Stories

Many examples of stewardship success stories from around the country may be found on the internet at 

http://www.fs.fed.us/forestmanagement/stewardship/results/index.shtml. These include:

Arizona

White Mountain Stewardship Contract on the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest is a multi-year 

Integrated Resource Service Contract with a 10-year term to treat between 5,000 and 15,000 acres per 

year for a total of about 150,000 acres. The contract was awarded in 2004. With FY 2011 being the eighth 

year since award, over 52,000 acres have been treated. The goals of this contract are to restore forest 

health, reduce the risk of wildfire to communities, reduce the cost of forest thinning, support local 

economies, and encourage new wood product industries and uses for the thinned wood fiber. The majority 

of the volume harvested is being made into residential grade wood pellets marketed across the country.

Collaborators on this project include The Nature Conservancy, Arizona Game and Fish Department, the 

Springerville and Alpine Habitat Partnership Committee, the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, the 

Antelope Foundation, the Mule Deer Foundation, and representatives of local timber products industry, 

local governments, and local/regional environmental groups and others. This collaborative effort resulted 

in the identification of community interests and needs and helped to prioritize and strategically locate the 

areas to be treated.

The Four Forests Restoration Project was selected in FY 2010 to receive funding through the Forest 

Service‘s new Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Program. Local environmentalists and 

communities formed a team to restore degraded ponderosa pine ecosystems on four national forests. 

Approximately 50,000 acres per year will be treated through long-term stewardship contracts. Ultimately, 

the sale of materials removed will cover project costs. The end goal will be healthy, resilient, fire-adapted 

ponderosa pine forests, as well as jobs and economic opportunities for local communities. In 2011, the 

first large Request for Proposal was solicited with an award planned for announcement in early 2012. The 

first project to be implemented will be under a 10-year stewardship contract. Awarding of this contract is 

expected in FY 2012.

Colorado

The Front Range Long Term Stewardship Contract on the Arapaho-Roosevelt and Pike and San Isabel 

National Forests is a multi-year Integrated Resource Service Contract with a 10-year term to treat a 

minimum of 4,000 acres per year for a total of about 40,000 acres. The contract was awarded in 2009.

The goals of this contract are to:

Promote improving hazardous fuel conditions by reducing overall biomass and canopy continuity

Provide for diverse wildlife habitats and recreational opportunities 

Reduce the potential for loss of ecological and monetary values on public and private lands

Reduce the risk of insect and disease infestations

Promote sustainable, diverse forest conditions

Promote aspen regeneration to increase species diversity and reduce future fuel hazard;

Restore watersheds by reducing the risk of erosion and sediment delivery to area streams which 

will Protect short and long term municipal water quality
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Special Exhibits 14 - 99

Products from the contract have been sent to at least 10 different mills and plants in North Central 

Colorado and the Front Range. The primary collaborator on this project is the Front Range Fuels 

Treatment Partnership (FRFTP), composed of 32 different entities such as conservation groups, State and 

local governments, local community leaders, academic and scientific community user groups, and 

industry leaders. FRFTP was initiated following the record fire season of 2002, and was formed to reduce 

wildland fire risks through sustained fuel treatments along the Colorado Front Range. 

Idaho

The Payette Forest Coalition has been working with the Forest Service to use a collaborative decisionmaking process with the objective of managing forest lands through ecologically sound management 

practices in a manner that receives strong public support. Project goals include improvement of wildlife 

habitat, reduction of wildfire hazards, and encouragement of woody biomass utilization as a revenue 

stream for supporting restoration activities. Stewardship contracting plays is an integral part in this 

partnership. Creating jobs through stewardship contracts will stimulate Idaho‘s rural economy while 

restoring the ecological health of forest lands.

New Mexico

National efforts to increase the use of stewardship contracting authorities at a landscape level in 

conjunction with other authorities have resulted in the first Forest Service stewardship contract under the 

Tribal Forest Protection Act (TFPA). The Lincoln National Forest and the Mescalero Apache Tribe 

signed the 16-Springs Stewardship Project under the authority of the TFPA in June 2006. The TFPA 

authority permits the Federal government to enter into contracts and agreements with American Indian 

tribes for work on public lands bordering on or adjacent to tribal lands. 

FY 2012 will be the last year for the 16-Springs contract with the Mescalero Tribe. The agency is 

continuing to explore this relationship with the tribe through the Tribal Forest Protection Act (TFPA). 

Additional information for this project can be found at: 

http://www.fs.fed.us/restoration/CFLR/documents/2011Proposals/Region3/Lincoln/LNFCFLRPProposal.

pdf

The Cibola National Forest has been restoring portions of the Zuni Mountains and the Black Kettle 

National Grassland partnering with the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF). The Stewardship 

Agreement and Supplemental Project Agreement with NWTF has been a successful and flexible 

instrument to secure funding and conduct restoration treatments in spite of challenging market and 

economic conditions.

North Carolina

In 2011, the National Forests of North Carolina signed a Master Stewardship Agreement with the North 

Carolina State Wildlife Commission. This was the first of its kind in the nation between the Forest 

Service and a State Agency. Possible future projects may address habitat for the endangered red-cockaded 

woodpecker; continue to improve mountain brook trout habitat; preserve populations of endangered 

plants at our highest elevations; and other projects to be determined through a collaborative process. 

These stewardship efforts are the latest step in an ongoing Forest-wide landscape restoration emphasis, 

including efforts over the past several years by the forest‘s collaborative Restoration Steering Committee. 

For more information see the forest‘s website at www.fs.usda.gov/nfsnc and search keyword 

―stewardship.‖
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Special Exhibits 14 - 100

Oregon

Stewardship contracting is one of many tools used by the Siuslaw National Forest but it is becoming the 

preferred tool. The Forest hasn‘t seen a timber sale appealed since 1997, and yet they consistently 

produce as much timber as any other National Forest in western Oregon. The Siuslaw's work has also 

built trust among forest stakeholders and led to expanded restoration opportunities in and near federal 

forest lands through the federal Stewardship Authority. Oregon Wild is currently involved with two 

Stewardship Groups in the area.

Stewardship makes up only a small fraction of public land management. Even so, in the Siuslaw 

stewardship contracts have, to date, resulted in thinning more than 2,500 acres, and yielding more than 30 

million board feet of plantation trees to local mills. In addition the funds retained from the timber harvest 

have led to $2 million spent on additional restoration projects on both public and private lands – projects 

that restore endangered fish and wildlife habitat, improve water quality, build relationships between rural 

landowners and the managers of neighboring public land, and employ local workers. 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Special Exhibits 14 - 101

Strengthening Service Initiative

Administrative Solutions Project

The Forest Service is working in a coordinated effort with other USDA agency to jointly develop 

strategies to address continued excellent customer services and improved internal processes and 

procedures. The USDA Strengthening Service Initiative, particularly the Administrative Solutions 

component will focus on strengthening agency operations across USDA in the administrative activities 

related to: Civil Rights, Information Technology, Finance and Budget, Human Resources, Homeland 

Security, and Procurement and Property Management. 

USDA leadership has been working together on strategies to focus on partnering, reducing redundancies, 

and taking advantage of existing resources across the 29 USDA agencies and offices. Through recent 

centralization and administrative processes improvement efforts, the Forest Service has positioned itself 

to be a leader in this effort among the USDA agencies. In FY 2012, through a thoughtful and deliberate 

evaluation of the administrative activities identified above, the agencies will move to identify functions 

that are best suited for initial phase of the staged implementation strategy. The strategy will consider 

impacts on employees, maintaining service to the agencies, and union feedback and input into the 

implementation process. Anticipated savings or future cost avoidance in FY 2013 will be realized in the 

future. 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

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Photovoltaic (PV) Solar Power System

San Dimas Technology and Development Center (SDTDC) in southern California installed a 

photovoltaic (PV) solar power system that provides all the SDTDC’s energy needs

Sustainable Operations

Overview

In order to fulfill the Forest Service‘s obligation to present and future generations, the agency is reducing 

its environmental footprint by making its own operations more sustainable. Our land stewardship mission 

is being strategically integrated with practices that reduce our consumption and overall resource use. The 

direct relationship between healthy forests and the water from our faucets, our heating systems, our clean 

air, our modes of transportation, and many other goods and services has never been more apparent.

Several laws, regulations, and executive orders have established targets for reducing our agency 

environmental footprint. We also have a growing number of initiatives in place to integrate best practices, 

build capacity in the agency and community, and save money and resources by implementing efficiencies 

in the areas of energy, water, fleet and transportation, waste prevention and recycling, green purchasing 

and sustainable leadership.

Success Stories and Current Initiatives

In FY 2011, the agency expanded capacity through increased training and focused priorities based on the 

findings of the Annual Energy Report and Greenhouse Gas Inventory. Actions such as targeted reductions 

in energy consumption in high intensity use buildings and investments in new technologies for fleet have 

helped raise awareness. An awards program and Senior Executive Service (SES) performance measures 

for energy and water consumption, and investments in technologies such as advanced meters and 

renewable energy installations will keep the momentum moving. A few examples of progress in the areas 

of energy conservation, fleet and transportation, water conservation, and green purchasing are detailed 

below:

The agency is leading by example to innovatively reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the 

Greater Yellowstone Area Ecosystem. Ten land management units across USDA and DOI have 

set specific actions to reduce GHG emissions by a minimum of 20 percent by 2020. 

In 2011, the agency finalized its telework policy which is being implemented nationwide. As of 

September 2011, telework participation is 17 percent and growing, equating to over 88,000 

commuter miles and avoided 7.3 tons of CO2 equivalent.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Special Exhibits 14 - 104

VTC usage increased dramatically month to month in FY 2011 compared to FY 2010. For 

example, June FY 2011 usage was 2.6 times the usage of June FY 2010 and endpoint usage was 

2.0 times greater. As of November 2011, 709 video teleconferencing (VTC) units have been 

installed within the agency, with some capacity in every Region/Station/Area (about 80 percent of 

the potential sites). 

Each year for the past three years, the Sustainable Operations Summits (forums that bring 

hundreds of employees to together to share best practices, new technologies and successes) have 

saved over $300K in travel costs, $100k or more in conference facilities costs, and avoided over 

300 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions by using VTC. 

The Forest Service has forged a partnership with the Department of Energy, National Renewable 

Energy Lab (NREL) to design and implement training for National Energy Managers.

FY 2012 Sustainable Operations Program Plans

In FY 2012 the agency will focus on fulfilling sustainable operations Executive Orders and on aligning 

our planning and actions with the Forest Service Climate Change Scorecard Action Plan. A key 

component of our work is to facilitate partnerships. These main priorities entail the following activities:

Streamline the tracking, reporting and monitoring of consumption data in fleet, energy, water, 

green purchasing, waste management, and sustainability leadership through a web-based 

interface, to ensure more granular level information can be utilized for action at the local level.

Install advanced meters in high energy intensity use buildings, and implement water sub-meter 

pilots in high consumption buildings. 

Establish partnerships with key Federal organizations, States, and communities to facilitate 

accomplishments in energy and water conservation (Department of Energy (DOE), General 

Services Administration (GSA), National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL), Department of the 

Interior (DOI), 

Establish stronger connections through youth, community and academic partnerships to support

lifelong environmental learning through the Adopt-A-School effort.

Provide continued training, SES performance monitoring, and a robust awards program. 

FY 2013 Sustainable Operations Program Plans

In FY 2013 the agency will focus on the following priorities for sustainable operations:

Develop a bottom up approach to inventory greenhouse gases for operations. Provide a transition 

strategy to institutionalize sustainable operations efforts throughout all staffs and areas of 

responsibility within the agency. 

Consult and coordinate with Engineering staff and the Climate Change Advisor to the Chief to 

implement Forest Service Climate Change Scorecard activities nationwide. 

Identify better methodologies for estimating and tracking water consumption for both on-site and 

agricultural based activities on sites and facilities

Expand pilot projects for propane-based fueling stations, fleet life cycle tool analysis, and 

renewable energy projects.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Special Exhibits 14 - 105

Unobligated Balances

Overview

The following table contains the Forest Service unobligated balances from all prior year appropriated 

funds (regular and emergency) carried forward into FY 2012. The table does not include the unobligated 

balances from offsetting collections such as reimbursable or advanced collections. The appropriation 

totals are actual amounts; however, the program distributions are estimates. 

FY 2012 Forest Service - Unobligated Balances (dollars in thousands)

Forest Service Appropriation / FY 2011

Budget Line Item / Extended Budget Line Item Unobligated Balances

Forest and Rangeland Research

Research and Development $10,911

NFP Research Activities 1,161

Joint Fire Science 5,286

Total, Forest and Rangeland Research 17,358

State and Private Forestry

Forest Health - Federal Lands 6,025

Forest Health - Coop Lands 1,916

State Fire Assistance 3,248

Volunteer Fire Assistance 137

Forest Stewardship 3,260

Forest Legacy Program (SPLG) 15

Urban and Community Forestry 2,804

Economic Action Programs 270

Forest Res Info & Analysis 148

International Forestry 8

NFP Forest Health - Federal Lands 1,820

NFP Forest Health - Coop Lands 1,040

NFP State Fire Assistance 3,251

NFP Volunteer Fire Assistance 137

Total--State and Private Forestry 24,079

S&P Land and Water Conservation Fund 5,782

Total—S&P Land and Water Conservation Fund 5,782

National Forest System

Land Management Planning 4,489

Inventory & Monitoring 10,762

Recreation, Heritage, and Wilderness 7,620

Wildlife and Fisheries Habitat Management 4,714

Grazing Management 2,110

Rehabilitation and Restoration 1,238
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Special Exhibits 14 - 106

FY 2012 Forest Service - Unobligated Balances (dollars in thousands)

Forest Service Appropriation / FY 2011

Budget Line Item / Extended Budget Line Item Unobligated Balances

Forest Products $16,141

Vegetation and Watershed Management 9,138

Minerals and Geology Management 7,502

Landownership Management 4,556

Law Enforcement Operations 5,895

Valles Caldera National Preserve 719

Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration 6,504

Total--National Forest System 81,382

Wildland Fire Management

Preparedness 19,427

Hazardous Fuels Management 14,068

Fire Operations - Suppression 0

Suppression Supplemental 200,000

Suppression Supplemental 40,000

Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration 1,102

Fire Disaster Fund Supplemental 578

Total--Wildland Fire Management 275,175

FLAME Fund $0

Capital Improvement and Maintenance

Construction Disaster Fund Supplemental 67

Facilities Capital Improvement/Maintenance 31,868

Roads Capital Improvement/Maintenance 10,480

Trails Capital Improvement/Maintenance 5,241

Legacy Roads 4,173

Spectrum Relocation 10,025

Deferred Maintenance 2,836

Total--Capital Improvement and Maintenance 64,690

Land Acquisition--Land and Water Conservation 

Fund

Land Acquisition 17,561

Total--Land Acquisition/L&WCF 17,561

Other Appropriations

Range Betterment Fund 499

Gifts, Donations, and Bequests for Research 126

Subsistence Mgmt (R10) 337

Total--Other Appropriations 962

GRAND TOTAL $486,989
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Special Exhibits 14 - 107

USDA Working Capital Fund and Greenbook Charges

Overview

The Forest Service, as an organizational entity of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), is 

provided administrative services managed centrally on behalf of the Department. These centrally 

administered programs are broken into two activities: the Working Capital Fund (WCF) and Greenbook. 

The Interior Subcommittee on Appropriations requires a three-year display of total costs paid by the 

Forest Service for these centrally administered programs. It is important to note that cost estimates for 

actual usage programs have changed in the last three fiscal years in response to demand for services on 

the part of the Forest Service. The Forest Service estimates for the activities assessed on a Full-time 

Equivalent (FTE) or standard methodology are likely to better reflect Forest Service shares of total costs, 

but these may vary during execution.

USDA Working Capital Fund

The Working Capital Fund (WCF) includes financial and administrative services provided with funding 

under the authority of 7 U.S.C. 2235. WCF is a financing mechanism currently supporting 17 activity 

centers across five Department-level organizations. These centers provide services to all USDA agencies, 

including the Forest Service, and a large number of non-USDA entities. Customers reimburse activity 

centers for the cost of services provided.

WCF-supported activities do not receive appropriated funds and are not subsidized from other funding 

sources. All costs are recovered through reimbursements from serviced customers. The estimated 

reimbursement from customers represents their projected share of costs to deliver service. Under terms of 

the general provisions in annual appropriations to USDA, agency administrators must authorize the 

billing of their agency for services they receive. The Chief of the Forest Service, or his duly appointed 

representative, must sign an agreement at the beginning of the fiscal year authorizing billing for services 

provided and supplying the appropriate accounting data.

The Forest Service acts as one of the overseers in the review of cost estimates for the National Finance 

Center through its participation in the WCF Executive Committee, a body comprising of representatives 

of various USDA agencies. The Executive Committee is charged with making budget recommendations 

and advising the Department‘s Chief Financial Officer as to the financial effectiveness of WCF. The 

Forest Service actively works with the Department‘s Chief Financial Officer to review activities included 

in the Greenbook and the basis for any costs attributed to the Forest Service. 

On the following page is a table displaying Forest Service assessments for USDA working capital fund 

services. On subsequent pages is a table describing WCF services provided by the USDA.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Special Exhibits 14 - 108

FY 2011 – FY 2013 Working Capital Fund Assessments for the Forest Service

FY 2011 FY 2012 FY 2013

Orgn Activity Actual Estimate Request

OCFO National Finance Center Agency Specific 

Agreements

$4,834,693 $3,759,914 $4,574,677 

National Finance Center Gov‘t Employee Services 5,760,471 6,439,749 6,439,749 

Financial Systems 38,098,262 33,010,255 35,631,162 

Comptroller Operations Services 11,994,426 12,610,310 12,355,745 

Internal Control Support Services 214,015 264,852 218,779 

OC Creative Media and Broadcast Services 448,000 402,506 472,771 

OCIO National Telecom Services 3,815,289 3,815,279 5,135,657

Telecom Customer Services Center (TCSC) 175,972 170,270 176,141 

Network Services 767,475 41,795 83,193 

Computer Services Network Support 619,384 436,218 631,153 

International Technology Services 0 1,152 0

DA Central Supply Stores 235,183 0 0 

Central Forms and Pubs - Transport Costs 79,642 0 0 

Copier Services 490,021 458,328 430,629 

Mail Prep and Courier Services 13,441 0 0 

Procurement Systems Operations 8,360,466 9,700,285 10,448,018 

Mail Distribution Services 870,382 284,692 269,640 

Consolidated Forms and Publi. Distr. Ctr. 471,938 973,317 574,440 

Central Shipping and Receiving 9,246 0 0 

Central Excess Property Operations 109,690 140,130 130,609 

Executive Secretariat 542,481 877,311 644,607 

 Subtotal for Agency Requested Services 77,910,477 73,386,363 78,216,970*

OCIO National Information Technology Services 6,624,939 8,637,665 11,770,317

Enterprise Shared Services 6,437,350 7,997,077 5,295,881 

Financial Systems Services 968,802 0 0

 Total for Agency Requested Services $91,941,568 $90,021,105 $95,283,168 

*Total reimbursable request is within the appropriation language request under Administrative Provisions of up to 

$82 million.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Special Exhibits 14 - 109

WCF ACTIVITIES

Cost Recovery Methodologies

Activity Description Cost Distribution

National Finance Center Agency 

Specific

Provides: 1. Payroll/Personnel services 

to USDA/Non-USDA agencies 2. 

Applications support to Office of 

Personnel Management. 3. Record 

keeper/other services to support the 

Thrift Savings Plan 4. Support services 

for USDA accounting applications 5. 

PKI licenses/support

Beginning in FY 2005, services 

provided by NFC will be negotiated 

between NFC and serviced agencies. 

The nature, volume, and cost of 

services will serve as the basis for 

Memoranda of Understanding 

between the parties

National Finance Center Government 

Employee Services

Provides: 1. Payroll/Personnel services 

to USDA/Non-USDA agencies 2. 

Applications support to Office of 

Personnel Management 3. Record 

keeper/other services to support the 

Thrift Savings Plan 4. Support services 

for USDA accounting applications 5. 

PKI licenses/support

Beginning in FY 2005, services 

provided by NFC will be negotiated 

between NFC and serviced agencies. 

The nature, volume, and cost of 

services will serve as the basis for 

Memoranda of Understanding 

between the parties.

Financial Systems Operates/maintains the following 

systems: 1. Foundation Financial 

Information System (FFIS - core 

accounting) 2. Real property 3. 

Corporate integrated administrative 

payments 4. Other systems as necessary 

to support program agency missions and 

fulfill USDA‘s fiduciary responsibilities 

to taxpayers

Financial/Adm. Pmts: Costs 

recovered based on agency share of 

FFIS workload (measured in general 

journal records) Real Property: Costs 

recovered basis on agency shares of 

USDA-owned and 

GSA/commercially-leased property

Comptroller Operations Services Provides: 1. Core accounting/reporting 

services 2. Agency-specific services 3. 

Operates a corporate controller 

organization that integrates

accountability and systems across 

USDA

Agencies are billed 1/12-per-month 

their estimated annual charges

Internal Control Support Services Not available

Creative Media and Broadcast Center The Broadcast Media and Technology 

Center (BMTC) provides a wide array 

of video production and 

teleconferencing (both audio and video) 

services. The Visual Communication 

Center offers a variety of graphic 

production and exhibit and visitor center 

planning/fabrication/development 

services; the Center also provides web 

page graphic design services.

Agency shares (in pct.) are based on 

the most recently completed fiscal 

year billings for services. Actual 

costs reflect use of the service and 

are based on needed labor hours, 

contractual costs, and or direct 

materials needed for the delivery of a 

product to the requesting agency

NITC – IT Services Provide mainframe computer operations 

and application development and 

support services to support agency 

programs. NITC also provide IT 

consulting services and training, and 

support the data warehouse support to 

FFIS.

Agency percentages are based 

estimates of services to be provided 

to users during the current fiscal year. 

Actual costs are based on the cost of 

services provided to requesting 

agencies under terms of interagency 

agreements.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Special Exhibits 14 - 110

WCF ACTIVITIES

Cost Recovery Methodologies

Activity Description Cost Distribution

National Telecom Services Provide centralized telecommunications 

support services nationwide for the 

USDA; manages and provide internet 

access to USDA agencies and data 

connections between agencies (USDA 

Intranet); assists agencies in using 

telecommunication services in a costeffective manner.

Agencies shares (in percentage) are 

based on prior year agencies 

utilization of voice and data 

telecommunication services. Actual 

costs for technical and data services 

are recovered via distribution through 

the WCF.

Telecom Customer Services Center 

(TSCS)

Manages and maintains the USDA‘s 

voice telephone services in the WMA 

that serves as the single point of contact 

for all local requests for telephone 

services and purchases; manages and 

administers the nationwide Voice Mail 

System; provides maintenance services 

for telephone equipment in the WMA 

and voice mail services.

Agency shares (in pct.) are based on 

the number of telephone lines in the 

WMA and the number of voice 

mailboxes on the primary node.

Network Services Provides technical/operational 

assistance on data networking 

telecommunications systems; designs, 

installs, operates, and manages shared 

services provided on Departmental 

networks and platforms; participates in 

the design, engineering, and operations 

management of the Enterprise Network.

Agency shares (in pct.) are based on 

FY 2003 FTE for the USDA facilities 

serviced by the Departmental LAN 

and e-mail usage.

Computer Services Network Support Provide LAN, Desktop, Application, 

and Web development support and 

maintenance to the Office of the 

Secretary (OSEC).

Basic services for OSEC are paid by 

Office of Chief Information Officer 

(appropriate). The cost for the 

support services to Under and 

Assistant Secretaries are distributed 

among agencies based on estimates 

fiscal year nationwide FTEs.

Central Supply Stores Provides required office supplies to the 

Office of the Secretary and USDA 

agencies in the Washington 

metropolitan area; provides nation-wide 

supply support to the meat and poultry 

inspectors for the Food Safety 

Inspection Service.

Agency shares (in pct.) are based on 

actual use of store services in the 

most recently completed fiscal year. 

Actual costs are recovered on the 

basis of the acquisition cost of 

supplies procured by agencies, plus 

an overhead charge.

Central Forms and Pubs – Transport 

Costs

Provides Acq (Printing), Warehouse, 

and worldwide distribution of adm 

forms and pub for all USDA agencies 

and non-USDA agencies; provides 

warehouse distribution of agency 

program and pub for all USDA agencies 

and for other participating govt 

agencies;

Based on the most recently completed 

fiscal year.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Special Exhibits 14 - 111

WCF ACTIVITIES

Cost Recovery Methodologies

Activity Description Cost Distribution

Copier and Duplicating Services Provides centralized copier facilities and 

equip for employees in Washington DC, 

bldgs complex and nearby satellite 

locations (Riverdale Carver Center). A 

large inventory of pool/convenience 

copiers is placed within USDA agencies 

throughout DC area.

Agency shares are based on prior 

year billings.

Mail Prep and Courier Services Custom Mailing services to USDA 

Agencies

0.0399 cents/piece for each piece of 

mail stuffed. Miscellaneous Servs: 

flat fee of $10.00 for courier 

deliveries in the local metro area; 

$0.30/mile for chauffeur serv (plus 

overtime for drivers)

Procurement Systems Operations Develops, implements, and maintains a 

suite of corporate acquisition software 

tools, streamlining processes, and 

providing procurement support to 

USDA agencies; develops, implements, 

and maintains an interface with the 

USDA corporate financial system.

Cost is distributed based on FY03 

actual agency use of the PURCH and 

PCMS systems. This will continue to 

be the cost recovery basis until IAS is 

fully implemented.

Mail Distribution Services Central Mail: Central processing of 

incoming, outgoing, and interoffice 

mail; special handling services for 

priority items in the DC area. Door-toDoor: Pickup and delivery service of 

routine and special mailings in the DC 

downtown bldgs complex.

Central Mail/Door-to-Door: Agency 

shares are based on mail count 

samples taken by the Mail Unit.

Consolidated Forms and Public 

Distribution Center

Provides Acq (Printing), Warehouse, 

and worldwide distribution of admin 

forms and pub for all USDA agencies; 

provides warehouse distribution of 

agency program and publications for all 

USDA agencies and for other 

participating gov‘t. agencies.

Agency shares are based on costs of 

requisitions processed for AD and SF 

forms during the most recently

completed fiscal year. 

Agency shares for agency forms are 

based on square footage of space for 

storage of agency forms at the 

warehouse. 

Central Excess Property Operations Provides customer service and 

disposition for all excess property for 

USDA and other fed agencies in 

Washington Metropolitan area under the 

concept of a Cooperative Admin 

Support Program (CASU): provides 

property rehab svcs in an effort to 

promote utilization of serviceable excess 

and rehab property in lieu of purchasing 

new property.

Excess Property Operations: Agency 

shares are based on FY 2005 FullTime Equivalents (FTE) for the 

Washington DC metropolitan area.

Executive Secretariat Provides referral and correspondence 

control services to the Department for 

mail addressed to the Department, the 

Secretary, and the immediate office of 

the Secretary.

User percentages are based on a 

moving average of correspondence 

processed by the unit.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Special Exhibits 14 - 112

Greenbook

Central Cost Distribution Programs

USDA agencies pay a share of costs for external programs through ―Greenbook‖ assessments. The Forest 

Service share is determined in a manner consistent with that for every other agency in the Department. 

Assessments are broken down into two categories:

Actual usage: costs are collected for programs such as GSA space, transit subsidy, postage, 

unemployment and workers compensation based on actual costs incurred by individual agencies.

Outside assessments: costs such as OPM Federal employment, FirstGov, and GSA blue pages 

are distributed to executive departments for reimbursement; the Department has no discretion as 

to the cost of the program. 

Departmental Reimbursable Programs

These costs provide funding for Department-wide initiatives authorized by the Office of the Secretary. 

Costs for these programs cannot be recovered on a usage basis and are generally distributed using an FTE 

methodology. 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Special Exhibits 14 - 113

FY 2011 – FY 2013 Forest Service Greenbook Costs

FY 2011 FY 2012 FY 2013

Actual Estimate Request

GSA Space - Agency $38,862,380 $38,862,380 $39,842,040 

DHS GSA Building Security – Agency specific 2,787,686 2,787,686 2,835,077

U.S. Postal Service Mail – Agency specific 286,600 286,600 291,472

Unemployment Compensation 46,555,042 46,555,042 47,346,478

Workers Compensation 31,386,365 31,386,365 31,919,933

National Archives Records System 357,345 357,345 357,345

Flexible Spending Accounts FSAFEDS – Agency 

Specific 602,021 602,021 612,255

OPM Federal Emply. Services and Admin Law Judges 177,961 177,961 177,961

Government-wide Council Activities 176,185 176,185 176,185

E-GOV Initiatives 3,072,144 2,918,796 2,918,796

Total, Central Cost Programs $124,263,729 $124,110,381 $126,477,542 

Intertribal Technical Assistance Network $666,673 $657,951 $669,136 

Faith-Based Initiatives & Neighborhood Partnerships 136,335 134,551 136,838

Advisory Committee Liaison Services 101,057 101,057 102,775

Hispanic Serving Institutions National Program 

(formerly HACU) 686,340 677,361 688,876

1890 USDA Initiative 1,029,343 1,015,877 1,033,147

USDA 1994 Program (formerly AIHEC) 270,002 266,470 271,000

USDA Human resources Transformation (includes 

Diversity Council) (Renamed in FY12) 563,005 555,640 565,086

Virtual University 460,004 734,603 747,091

Peoples Garden & Visitors Center 350,003 345,425 351,297

Honor Awards 26,667 26,318 26,765

TARGET Center 315,670 311,540 316,836

Sign Language Interpreter Services 136,434 130,519 132,738

Emergency Operations Center 800,674 790,200 803,633

Continuity of Operations Planning 619,672 611,566 621,963

Medical Services 19,112 17,587 17,886

Personnel and Document Security 439,038 259,428 263,838

Federal Bio-based Products Preferred Procurement 

Program (formerly Bio-based Markets Program) 119,001 117,444 119,441

Radiation Safety 99,437 99,437 101,127

Facility Infrastructure Review and Assessment (New in 

FY12) 46,338 46,338 47,126

Retirement Processor Web Application 179,668 177,318 180,332

Preauthorized Funding $1,033,343 $1,151,415 $1,170,989 

Departmental Reimbursable Programs

Central Cost Distribution Programs
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Special Exhibits 14 - 114 FY 2011 FY 2012 FY 2013

Actual Estimate Request Departmental Reimbursable Programs

Preauthorized Funding $1,033,343 $1,151,415 $1,170,989 

E-GOV Initiatives HSPD12 2,417,689 2,105,445 2,105,445

E-GOV Initiatives - Content Management 213,434 213,434 213,434

FEMA Emergency Preparedness 347,053 347,053 347,053

Consolidated Federal Funds Report 30,811 30,811 30,811

GSA HSPD12 Lincpass Maintenance 934,378 934,378 934,378

Transit Subsidy 1,770,044 885,022 900,067

Total, Reimbursable Programs $16,886,369 $16,265,005 $12,899,108 

FY12 E-Gov Initiatives moved from Departmental Reimbursable Programs to Central Cost Distribution Programs.

FY13 includes 1.017 annual baseline adjustment factor for non-pay costs of discretionary programs

*Total reimbursable request is within the appropriation language request under Administrative Provisions of up 

to $13.5 million.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Special Exhibits 14 - 115

GREENBOOK ACTIVITIES

Central Cost Distribution Programs

Activity Description Cost Distribution

General Service Administration (GSA) 

Space – Agency

Provides for the payment of rental to 

GSA for agency space, which is paid 

from agency funds. 

User percentages are based on 

occupied agency space which is not 

covered by the Departmental SLUC 

Appropriation.

DHS GSA Building Security - Agency Provides for the payment of security to 

DHS for non-appropriated funded 

agency security, which is paid from 

agency funds.

User Cost Estimates are based on 

security not covered in the central 

(Departmental) appropriation for 

security.

U.S. Postal Service Mail Provides reimbursement to the U.S. 

Postal Service (USPS) for mailing 

services provided to USDA agencies. 

User percentages are based on prior 

year usage. Adjustments are made 

prior to the end of the fiscal year, 

based on direct accountability, i.e., 

metered costs, sampling and 

anticipated increases in postal rates. 

Unemployment Compensation Provides reimbursement to the 

Department of Labor (DOL) 

unemployment trust fund for payment 

made to unemployed former USDA 

employees.

User percentages are based on 

reconciled agency charges for the 

previous fiscal year.

Worker‘s Compensation Program Provides reimbursement to DOL 

unemployment trust fund for payment 

made to unemployed former USDA 

employees.

Distribution is based on reconciled 

agency cases and dollars.

National Archives Records System Effective in FY 2001, the National 

Archives became a fee-for-service 

records center. Each agency is assessed 

for costs associated with records in 

storage plus an additional amount for 

those Departmental staff offices that

store agency records as a part of their 

function.

Distribution is based on each 

agency‘s volume of records stored, 

plus a percentage of Departmentwide records stored based on nationwide FTEs.

Flexible Spending Accounts 

FSAFEDS – Agency

OPM Federal Employment and 

Administrative Law Judges Service

This program reimburses OPM for 

Federal Employment Services and 

information provided to USDA 

Agencies.

Distribution is based on FY 2003 

nation-wide FTEs of each agency.

Government-wide Council Activities Reimburses GSA for projects of the 

Chief Financial Officers Council, Chief 

Information Officers Council, and 

Procurement Executive Council.

Distribution is based on current fiscal 

year nationwide FTE ceiling 

employment in each agency.

Intertribal Technical Assistance 

Network

Program addresses the unique 

challenges faced by American Indian 

and Alaskan Native tribal governments, 

communities and individuals in 

effectively utilizing USDA programs 

and services. These challenges require 

intensive technical assistance and 

Distribution is based on current fiscal 

year nationwide FTE employment 

ceilings for each USDA agency.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Special Exhibits 14 - 116

GREENBOOK ACTIVITIES

Central Cost Distribution Programs

Activity Description Cost Distribution

program access improvement through in 

an intertribal coordinated network and 

coordination with the Department of 

Interior/Bureau of Indian Affairs, which 

also has jurisdiction and authority over 

Indian lands. Information on all USDA 

programs will be covered by the 

technical assistance efforts of staff 

within the Network. Program efforts 

will also focus on promoting the 

Department‘s Strategic Goals within 

Indian Country, including Tribal 

consultation responsibilities, in 

accordance with government-togovernment and trust responsibilities of 

USDA.

Faith Based Initiatives and NeighborHood PartnershipsProvides for Department level oversight 

of the USDA implementation efforts in 

the faith-based and neighborhood 

outreach areas and to support the White 

House Office of Faith-Based and 

Community Initiatives regional outreach 

conferences. This office was established 

at the U.S. Department of Agriculture 

by executive order on December 12, 

2002. 

Distribution is based on current fiscal 

year nationwide FTE employment 

ceilings for each USDA agency.

Advisory Committee Liaison Services The Office of the Secretary provides 

guidance and direction to USDA 

agencies on Advisory Committees and 

Boards. Costs to support this function 

and screening/selection of members are 

reimbursed from agencies to the Office 

of the Secretary.

Costs are distributed on the basis of 

the number of advisory committees in 

each agency.

Hispanic Serving Institutions National 

Program 

Fosters educational excellence in the 

Hispanic community and to promote 

Hispanic participation in fulfilling the 

USDA mission.

Distribution is based on current fiscal 

year nationwide FTE ceiling 

employment in each agency.

1890 USDA Initiative Supports initiatives on Historically 

Black Colleges and Universities and the 

USDA 1890 institutions (Land Grant 

colleges and universities). USDA 

maintains an agricultural liaison office 

at each of the 17 1890 campuses, 

including Tuskegee University.

Distribution is based on current fiscal 

year nationwide FTE employment 

ceilings for each USDA agency.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Special Exhibits 14 - 117

GREENBOOK ACTIVITIES

Central Cost Distribution Programs

Activity Description Cost Distribution

USDA 1994 Program Promotes, fosters, and encourages 

implementing programs for improving 

post-secondary and higher education 

opportunities for American Indians, and 

establishing information centers for 

post-secondary and higher education 

institutions..

Distribution is based on current fiscal 

year nationwide FTE ceiling 

employment in each agency.

USDA Human Resources 

Transformation Program (includes 

Diversity Council)

Establishes policy, coordinates, and 

evaluates the USDA agencies‘ efforts to 

carryout diversity programs. Creates a 

culture of change within USDA‘s 

agencies that ensures its place as a 

model employer within the Federal 

government in terms of equal 

opportunity without barriers to 

achievement of diversity and inclusivity. 

Builds diversity awareness through 

formal training, participation in diversity 

programs, special observance events, 

and participation in employee forums at 

listening sessions, and national 

employment conferences. Tracks 

progress of USDA agencies‘ towards 

diversity goals, awareness and best 

practices.

Distribution is based on the current 

years nationwide FTE employment 

ceilings for each USDA agency.

Virtual University The Virtual University program will 

provide Department employees with a 

central educational facility. The facility 

will focus on providing employees with 

training for today‘s workplace 

responsibilities and developmental 

programs to ensure a cadre of highlyskilled future leaders. 

Distribution is based on current fiscal 

year nationwide FTE employment in 

each agency.

Peoples Garden and Visitors Center Supports the People‘s Garden and serves 

as a showcase for USDA programs and 

initiatives.

Distribution is based on current fiscal 

year nationwide FTE employment in 

each agency.

TARGET Center Supports the Department's workforce 

diversity and Federal Workforce 2001 

policies; provides information on 

technologies to ensure equal access to 

electronic technologies and automated 

systems essential to today's jobs for 

people with visual, hearing, speech, 

mobility, or dexterity impairments.

Distribution is based on current fiscal 

year nationwide FTE employment 

ceilings for each USDA agency.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Special Exhibits 14 - 118

GREENBOOK ACTIVITIES

Central Cost Distribution Programs

Activity Description Cost Distribution

Drug Testing Program-Agency 

Specific

This program is mandated be Executive 

Order 12564 and PL 102-143. Its 

purpose is to help ensure a drug free 

work place with programs such as: 

random, reasonable suspicion, post 

accident, volunteer and applicant 

testing.

Distribution is based on each 

agencies percentage of the actual 

costs and a minimum charge of $50 

for all other agencies.

Sign Language Interpreter Services Provides interpretive services for 

Departmental programs and USDA 

agencies. During fiscal years 2010 and 

prior, the DC Metro Area Sign 

Language Services were handled 

through agency level agreements. 

Beginning in fiscal year 2011, DC 

Metro Area Sign Language Services will 

be included in the Departmental 

Reimbursable Program and a Metro 

Area FTE cost recovery basis will be 

used. The intent of this change is to 

ensure that all employees have access to 

services.

Distribution is based on current fiscal 

year nationwide FTE employment 

ceilings for each USDA agency. 

Agency-specific services will be 

billed directly to serviced agencies.

Emergency Operations Center Operates a secure emergency operations 

center on a 24/7 basis. The center 

provides critical communications and 

coordination systems.

Distribution is based on current fiscal 

year nationwide FTE employment in 

each agency.

Continuity of Operations Planning Provides for USDA COOP activities 

including awareness training, exercises 

and COOP plan reviews.

Distribution is based on current fiscal 

year nationwide FTE ceiling 

employment in each agency.

Medical Services Provides preventative health measures 

such as flu shots, health screening, 

nutritional principles and fitness 

awareness that lead to a higher quality 

workforce environment for employees, 

and contractors in the National Capital 

Region [Headquarters complex, the 

George Washington Carver Center and 

the Patriot Plaza offices.]

Distribution is based on current fiscal 

year nationwide FTE ceiling 

employment in each agency

Personnel and Document Security Responsible for ensuring the proper 

protection of classified national security 

information through the adjudicative 

process of personnel clearances; and the 

proper handling, storage and 

transmission of classified information.

Distribution is based on current fiscal 

year nationwide FTE ceiling 

employment in each agency.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Special Exhibits 14 - 119

GREENBOOK ACTIVITIES

Central Cost Distribution Programs

Activity Description Cost Distribution

Federal Bio-based Products Preferred 

Procurement Program (formerly Biobased Markets Program)

Supports the USDA-wide 

implementation of Bio-PreferredSM

procurement requirements as additional 

bio-based items are designated for 

preferred procurement. Supports the 

development of USDA procurement 

reporting tools, provides information 

resources and training to the USDA 

procurement community, as well as to 

other Federal Agencies, for the purchase 

of bio-based products and the inclusion 

of bio-based components in contracts.

Distribution is based on current fiscal 

year nationwide FTE ceiling 

employment in each agency.

Radiation Safety The Radiation Safety is responsible for 

administering the USDA radiation 

safety program including ensuring 

compliance with the licenses issued by 

the Nuclear Regulatory Commission 

(NRC) for use of radioactive materials 

in research and other programs. Six 

agencies use radioactive materials that 

require radiation safety overnight.

Distribution is based on usage of 

radioactive materials by agency 

personnel.

Facility and Infrastructure Review and 

Assessment

Provides risk-based security assessments 

with countermeasure recommendations 

for all critical infrastructure within 

USDA Agencies.

Distribution is based on current fiscal 

year nationwide FTE ceiling 

employment in each agency

Retirement Processor Web Application 

(formerly Self Service Dashboard 

(SSD) and Retirement Processor Web 

Application):

Serves as an e-authenticated single signon portal for several USDA human 

resources systems and contains a 

historical database that together with the 

Retirement Processor Web application 

enables employees to run various 

retirement calculation scenarios.

Distribution is based on current fiscal 

year nationwide FTE ceiling 

employment in each agency.

Pre-authorized Funding Provides a funding mechanism for 

reimbursable activities involving other 

Federal Departments and USDA that 

arise during the current fiscal year.

Distribution is based on the current 

year nationwide FTE employment 

ceilings for each USDA agency.

E-Gov Initiatives To Improve IT planning through the 

expansion of electronic government to 

deliver significant productivity and 

performance gains across all federal 

departments.

Distribution is based on 50% of 

agency full-time equivalents (FTEs) 

and 50% of the agency IT 

development, modernization, and 

enhancement (DME) spending.

E-Gov Initiatives HSPD12 Supports the implementation of the 

Homeland Security Presidential 

Directive 12 (the Common 

Identification Standard for Federal 

Employees and Contractors).

Distribution is based on 100% of 

agency full-time equivalents (FTEs). 

In FY 2006 the cost Distribution was 

based on a 50/50 blend of nationwide 

FTEs and Agency Development, 

Modernization and Enhancement It 

investment budgets submitted as part 

of the Exhibit 53 submission to 

OCIO.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Special Exhibits 14 - 120

GREENBOOK ACTIVITIES

Central Cost Distribution Programs

Activity Description Cost Distribution

E-Gov Initiatives – Content Mgt Content Management Services comprise 

a suite of three related modules that 

utilize and rely upon the core 

components of USDAs corporate 

document management infrastructure, 

Stellent, Oracle, and WebSphere. The 

Content Analysis Module (CAM) is 

designed to analyze and display content 

such as public comments regarding an 

issue or proposal

Distribution is based on 50% of 

agency full-time equivalents (FTEs) 

and 50% of the agency IT 

development, modernization, and 

enhancement (DME) spending.

FEMA Emergency Preparedness Supports actions for procurement of an 

emergency relocation site, 

telecommunications, and miscellaneous 

support in the event of an emergency. 

Distribution is based on current fiscal 

year nationwide FTE employment 

ceilings for each USDA agency.

Consolidated Federal Forms Report

USDA HSPD12 Lincpass Maintenance Mandates the establishment of a new 

standard for credentialing federal 

government employees and contractors . 

Distrib

Distribution is based on current fiscal 

year nationwide FTE ceiling 

employment in each agency

Transit Subsidy In accordance with Executive Order 

13150, USDA is providing all 

qualifying employees nationwide a 

direct transit subsidy in order to reduce 

Federal employees contribution to 

traffic congestion and air pollution and 

to expand their commuting alternative.

Distribution is based on each 

agency‘s percentage of the actual 

costs for each quarter.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Special Exhibits 14 - 121

Wood Education and Resource Center

Overview

The Wood Energy Resource Center (WERC) was started in 1999 when legislation was enacted directing 

the Forest Service to assume ownership of the former Robert C. Byrd Hardwood Technology Center 

(RCBHTC) in Princeton, West Virginia. Under Forest Service ownership and management, WERC 

focuses on primary and secondary wood processing, and woody biomass utilization using 

multidisciplinary approaches within the 35 States of the eastern hardwood region. WERC projects focus 

on international and domestic hardwood industry competitiveness issues; technology and information 

transfer; increasing communication, cooperation, and collaborative problem solving within the forest 

products industry; woody biomass utilization for energy; and green building issues and carbon storage in 

wood products.

WERC programs help maintain and improve wood industry productivity and competitiveness in a 

sustainable manner. Viable wood products markets enable sustainable forest management on private, 

State, and Federal lands. WERC staff includes a Biomass Coordinator position to provide woody biomass 

to energy leadership across the State & Private Forestry‘s Northeastern Area. WERC‘s biomass 

coordination efforts have resulted in a partnership with several consulting engineering service businesses 

that provide preliminary assessments of energy system conversions. These are completed for schools, 

hospitals, office, and business facilities.

First authorized in the Omnibus Appropriations bill for FY 1999, the main authority used in carrying out 

WERC activities is the Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act. WERC is funded from a number of budget 

line items. From the State and Private Forestry appropriation, funds come from Forest Health 

Management-Cooperative Lands, State Fire Assistance, Forest Stewardship, and Urban and Community 

Forestry. From the Wildland Forest Management appropriation, funds come from State Fire Assistance 

and Hazardous Fuels. 

FY 2010 – FY 2013 Allocations (dollars in thousands)

FY 2010 

Allocation

FY 2011 

Allocation

FY 2012

President’s 

Budget

FY 2013

President’s 

Budget

Wood Education and 

Resource Center 

(WERC)

$1,960 $960 $960 $960

FY 2013 Program Changes 

The FY 2013 budget request includes $960,000 for 

WERC, the same as the FY 2011 and FY 2012 

requests. This is a decrease of $1 million from the 

actual 2010 funded amount. Funds will provide 

priority services and support to the eastern hardwood 

forest region, particularly the wood industry. At this 

level of funding, WERC anticipates that few new 

competitive grants will be issued. Salaries for support 

activities will be approximately $730,000, leaving 

$230,000 for operating and other expenses. WERC 

The Carbon Impacts of Wood Products

This project was completed through a grant given to 

the Tennessee Forest Products Center, University of 

Tennessee (Award Number 2010-DG-087). The 

project used existing life cycle analysis datasets to 

determine the carbon impacts of a range of wood 

products. Information developed shows the positive 

impacts of using wood products. The project webinar 

can be viewed at: 

http://www.forestrywebinars.net/webinars/thecarbon-impact-of-forest-products/?searchterm=None
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Special Exhibits 14 - 122

staff will conduct existing grant monitoring and provide technical assistance, training, and information 

transfer. 

In FY 2013, WERC will host or sponsor workshops and training to owners and managers of wood 

products businesses. In addition, WERC will provide technical assistance to the lessee of the WERC mill 

and shop in order to maintain a successful business operation that more fully utilizes the facilities and 

enhances employment opportunities to local residents. 

The Forest Service will provide technical expertise to industry, States, and other partners on wood 

processing, utilization of damaged timber, green building, and woody biomass, and will continue 

implementation of a woody biomass strategy. 

FY 2011 Accomplishments

In FY 2011, WERC awarded over $1 million in grants and agreements for 17 projects. Many projects 

focused on maintaining or expanding the economic competitiveness and sustainability of wood products 

manufacturing businesses, ultimately leading to job creation as well as improved forest health and 

stewardship. Many of these projects focused on sustainable uses of woody biomass. Through the lease of 

the facilities, WERC generated approximately 10 private-sector wood industry jobs. WERC, in 

cooperation with various partners, conducted 50 industry-related workshop/training 

sessions/webinars/webcasts. Topics included: woodworking skill standards, urban wood utilization, mass 

customization and marketing, improved log bucking and wood energy. These projects have resulted in a 

more productive and sustainable wood products industry in the Eastern U.S.

In addition, numerous preliminary assessments pertaining to the potential conversion of boiler systems to 

woody biomass systems have been completed through WERC‘s Woody Biomass Technical Assistance 

Team. Of notable accomplishment was the assistance the team provided to the Missouri Fuels-For-School 

Program.

Allocation and Partnerships

WERC accomplishes its mission through several 

venues including:

Workshops and trainings held at WERC, on 

the web, and at other remote locations; 

Biomass energy technical support through 

energy engineer consultants conducting 

prefeasibility evaluations of facilities 

considering conversion to woody biomass 

for heat and power; and 

A web-site clearing house for information; 

An annual competitive grants program; 

Regional operations in a cluster model at the 

Princeton WERC (research, technical 

transfer, and private industry partnerships on-site). 

Training programs focus on industry competitiveness, survivability, and sustainability issues. This 

focused effort will assist the wood industry in facing today‘s critical challenges especially in the areas of 

job preservation and creation.

Marketing Urban Wood through Certification and 

Branding

The Southeast MI Resource Conservation and 

Development Council located in Ann Arbor, MI, 

recently completed a WERC-funded project (Award 

Number 2009-DG-085) titled, Marketing Urban 

Wood through Certification and Branding. A 

series of working roundtable meetings was held with 

the goal to develop appropriate strategies for 

certifications and/or branding that would promote 

urban wood products and incentivize the use of 

urban wood in the green building and green product 

markets. Project details and findings are included in 

the final accomplishment report. 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Special Exhibits 14 - 123

The annual grant program uses five criteria: 

Supporting economic competitiveness of the hardwood industries

Delivery of information and technology to wood products businesses

Advancing the development of technology and markets to address urgent issues 

Green building and carbon storage issues 

Increasing the sustainable use of woody biomass

WERC maintains and fosters partnerships with organizations, universities, non-profits, and for-profit 

organizations. WERC has invested $11.4 million in 185 projects in 26 states since 2005, in cooperation 

with the wood and forest industries. 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Special Exhibits 14 - 124

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FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Special Exhibits 14 - 125

Working Capital Fund – Forest Service

Overview

The working Capital Fund (WCF) provides orderly and efficient supply and equipment service in support 

of Forest Service programs. The Department of Agriculture Organic Act of August 3, 1956, as amended 

by the Act of October 23, 1962 (15 U.S.C. 579b), established the WCF. The WCF is a self-sustaining 

revolving fund that provides services to national forests, research stations, other Federal agencies, and as 

provided by law, to State and private cooperators. 

The WCF requires no cash appropriation. Initially, regular Forest Service appropriations purchased assets 

and donated the assets to WCF. WCF rates are determined so that WCF recovers operating and 

replacement costs. WCF provides the following services:

Equipment Leasing Services, which owns and rents vehicles and aircraft

Enterprise Services, which are reinvention teams accomplishing projects that improve customer 

service and reduce costs

The table below displays the volume of business for major WCF activities. 

Volume of Business for Major WCF Activities (dollars in thousands)

Type FY2011 FY2012 FY2013

Actual Planned Estimated

Equipment - Fleet $178,563 $186,000 $192,000

Equipment - Aircraft $5,439 $8,000 $9,500

Enterprise Services $44,854 $46,000 $47,000

Total $228,856 $240,000 $248,500
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Special Exhibits 14 - 126

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FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Special Exhibits 14 - 127

Working Capital Fund – Forest Service Fleet Management

Overview

The Forest Service uses the Working Capital Fund (WCF) to procure motor vehicles and other fleet 

equipment in support of Forest Service programs. The WCF does not receive direct appropriations, but 

receives its authority through payment for services from appropriated accounts. Forest Service 

appropriations purchase assets and then donate the assets to WCF. WCF rates are determined so that 

WCF recovers operating and replacement costs. WCF supports Equipment Leasing Services, an entity 

that owns and rents vehicles and other fleet equipment.

Program Priorities

In FY 2007, a fleet feasibility study recommended increasing the percentage of agency-owned fleet. As a 

result, the Forest Service currently owns approximately 90 percent of the fleet equipment, and leases

about 10 percent from the General Services Administration and commercial vendors. The goal of the 

agency is to retain and operate a total number of vehicles to provide the most cost effective and fuel 

efficient mix meeting the needs of the agency. WCF expenditures will remain fairly constant over time, as 

the majority of fleet reductions will occur through the reduction of leased vehicles (which are not part of 

WCF).

Vehicle Allocation Methodology and Procurement Practices

As part of the annual vehicle replacement process, the Forest Service units conduct assessments of fleet 

operations that analyze vehicle effectiveness, cost-to-serve, life cycle cost, vehicle pooling, and operating 

costs. Alternative fuel vehicles (AFV) are chosen when available, often times the limiting factor is the 

availability of alternative fuel in the geographic area, due to high competition from other customers. Ongoing fleet needs are determined by the Forest Service managers based on transportation and equipment 

needs to achieve their goals within the allotted budget.

Utilizing national guidelines, the regional and station fleet specialists identify vehicles eligible for 

replacement. The final decision to procure a replacement vehicle is made at the region and station level. 

When a fleet addition or upgrade is required, a formal review and approval procedure is followed and 

documented. 

Program Oversight

To assure that the fleet program provides safe, efficient, and environmentally sound fleet equipment, and 

to ensure the safe, economical, and legal acquisition, operation, maintenance, and disposal of that 

equipment, the Forest Service uses a combination of the following:

Financial incentives: Forest Service organizations, programs, and projects pay monthly rates on 

all WCF equipment assigned to them. This payment structure encourages dropping non-essential 

vehicles. Dropped vehicles are reassigned to other units in need, with receipts going to the WCF 

account. 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Special Exhibits 14 - 128

Business practices: Standard business practices require national and regional review. These 

include the physical property inventory, the annual assessments of fleet needs for scheduling 

replacements and holdovers, and the annual review and recalculation of monthly rates. The Forest 

Service recently implemented a formalized review and approval procedure for all fleet additions 

and up-grades. Reduction of vehicle upgrades and replacing larger vehicles with smaller vehicles 

could result in significant cost savings, in large part due to associated fuel efficiency savings from 

smaller, more efficient replacement vehicles.

Monitoring: Typically, a region reviews fleet management activities on two to four national 

forests each year, and the national office reviews one to two regions. 

Management regularly adjusts the fleet size, mix, and assignment throughout the year. This helps ensure 

an optimal fleet and helps to keep the fleet safe, effective, cost efficient, and in line with legal 

requirements. 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Authorities 15-1

Public Law, 

U.S.C., Appropriation 

Title Summary of Authority Expiration Affected

NFS

Acquisition of Lands, To provide for the conveyance of a small parcel of public domain land in the P.L. 106-434

Special Acts San Bernardino National Forest in the State of California, and changes the 16 U.S.C. 484a

authorization for collection and retention of receipts first authorized under the 

Sisk Act P.L. 90-171.

All

Agriculture Grants Provides authority to erect buildings and other structures on non-Federal land, P. L. 89–106 

and Powers Act of if long-term lease on the land is obtained. Also, provides authority to make P.L. 110–246.

1965, as Amended competitive grants to eligible institutions, including special grants and grants 7 U.S.C. 450i

for facility renovation and refurbishment, to further the programs of the 

Department of Agriculture.

Alaska National This Act allows that receipts from oil, gas, timber, coal, and other natural P.L. 96-487

Interest Lands resources collected by the Departments of Agriculture and the Interior are 16 U.S.C. 539d

Conservation Act of available to prepare, offer, and administer the timber sale program on the 

1980 Tongass National Forest. Authorizing up to $5,000,000 in annual transfers of 

receipts to a special fund.

NFS

Anderson-Mansfield This Act authorizes appropriations as needed to provide for reasonable 16 U.S.C. 581j-k

Reforestation and continuity of reforestation and vegetation programs.

Revegetation Act of 

1949
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Authorities 15-2

Public Law, 

U.S.C., Appropriation 

Title Summary of Authority Expiration Affected

Aviation, Lookout Authorizes the Forest Service, by contract or otherwise, to provide for P.L. 78-425

Towers, and Fire procurement and operation of aerial facilities and services for the protection 16 U.S.C. 579a

Management and management of the national forests and other lands administered by the 

agency.

NFS

Bankhead-Jones Farm Sections 31 and 32 Act authorizes and directs the Secretary of Agriculture to P.L. 75-210

Tenant Act of 1937 develop a program of land conservation and land utilization, in order thereby to 7 U.S.C. 110-111

correct maladjustments in land use, and thus assist in controlling soil erosion, 

reforestation, preserving natural resources, and to cooperate with Federal, 

State, territorial, and other public agencies in development and implementation 

of plans. This Act also provides authority to dispose of, or exchange, land 

acquired for the land utilization and conservation program, including the 

exchange of National Forest System lands that have Bankhead-Jones Title III 

status and all Federal lands in National Grasslands. Section 32 also gives the 

Secretary of Agriculture the authority to make such rules and regulations 

deemed necessary to regulate the use and occupancy of the property acquired 

by, or transferred to, the Secretary under or for the purposes of the BankheadJones Act; which includes for example, protection and preservation of the soil 

and natural resources, and protection of the watersheds of navigable streams. 

This Act authorizes the transfer of lands acquired under the Act to other 

Federal, State, or Territorial agencies subject to a public reverter provision.

Black Hills National To authorize the Secretary of Agriculture to sell or exchange all or part of P.L. 106-329 NFS

Forest and Rocky certain administrative sites and other land in the Black Hills National Forest and

Mountain Research to use funds derived from the sale or exchange to acquire replacement sites 

Station Improvement and to acquire or construct administrative improvements in connection with the

Black Hills National Forest.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Authorities 15-3

Public Law, 

U.S.C., Appropriation 

Title Summary of Authority Expiration Affected

NFS

Boise Laboratory Authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to sell or exchange the Boise (Idaho) P.L. 106-291

Replacement Act of laboratory (laboratory) site (as defined by this Act), and use the resultant funds

2000 to acquire land and facilities to: (1) co-locate the laboratory with one of the 

Boise-area State institutions of higher learning; (2) replace other laboratory 

functions; and (3) acquire other land or interests in Idaho.

NFS

Boundary Waters Section 18(e) authorizes the construction of dispersed recreation sites and trails P.L. 95-495

Canoe Area outside the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. Authorizes funding to 

Wilderness Act of 1978 acquire land and water within the designated wilderness. Also, see Act of June

22, 1948, as amended (16 U.S.C. 577h), cited in paragraph 3.

Brush Disposal Act of This Act authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to require purchasers of P.L. 64-190

August 11, 1916, as national forest timber to deposit the estimated cost to dispose of brush and 16 U.S.C. 490

amended other debris resulting from their cutting operations.

 NFS

Burton-Santini Lake Authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture, with the concurrence of the Tahoe P.L. 96-586

Tahoe Basin Act of Regional Planning Agency, to acquire specified unimproved, environmentally 

December 23, 1980 sensitive land to be administered as part of the United States National Forest 

System or, if unsuitable for administration as such, to be transferred to a unit of 

State or local government with specified restrictions. Permits the acquisition of 

specified portions of the Lake Tahoe Basin.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Authorities 15-4

Public Law, 

U.S.C., Appropriation 

Title Summary of Authority Expiration Affected

NFS, S&PF

Carlson-Foley Act of This Act authorizes use of noxious plant control funds reimburse States for 43 U.S.C. 1241-1243

1968 such activity on Federal land.

Collaborative Forest Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009, Authorizes the Collaborative P.L. 111-11

Landscape Restoration Forest Landscape Restoration Fund, establishing a Treasury fund to be used to Title III

(CFLR) pay up to 50 percent of the cost of carrying out and monitoring ecological 16 U.S.C. 7301

restoration treatments on National Forest System land. $40,000,000 for each of 

fiscal years 2009 through 2019, to remain available until expended. 9/30/2019

Colorado Good The Colorado Good Neighbor Act authority (CGNA) allows for the Secretary of P.L. 106-291 

Neighbor Act Agriculture, via cooperative agreement or contract, to permit the Colorado State P.L. 108-447 

Forest Service to perform watershed restoration and protection services on P.L. 111-88

National Forest System lands in the State of Colorado when similar and 

complementary watershed restoration and protection services are being 9/30/2013

performed by the State Forest Service on adjacent State or private lands. The 

types of services include treatment of insect infected trees, reduction of 

hazardous fuels, and other activities to restore or improve watersheds or fish 

and wildlife habitat across ownership boundaries.

NFS

Columbia River Gorge Sections 9 and 16a of the Act authorizes land acquisition within the Columbia 16 U.S.C. 544g

National Scenic Area River Gorge National Scenic Area.

Act of 1986
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Authorities 15-5

Public Law, 

U.S.C., Appropriation 

Title Summary of Authority Expiration Affected

S&PF, NFS

Columbia River Gorge Establishes the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area in Washington and P.L. 99-663

National Scenic Area Oregon. Designates special management and urban areas within such scenic 16 U.S.C. 544

Act of November 17, area. Permits minor revisions in such areas, as specified. Directs the Secretary 

1986 to administer the Federal lands within the special management areas according 

to forest and multiple-use management regulations applicable to the national 

forests. Requires the Secretary to develop land use designations within such 

areas within three years, a resource inventory within one year, and a recreation 

assessment within two years. Authorizes the Secretary to acquire non-Federal 

lands within such special management areas. Requires the Secretary to report 

periodically to the appropriate congressional committee on the status of land 

acquisitions. Limits the use of eminent domain in acquiring such lands. 

Authorizes the Secretary to make grants to each State for grants and loans for 

economic development in counties which have adopted conforming land use 

ordinances. Sets forth other terms and restrictions. Directs the Secretary to 

provide technical assistance to counties to develop land use ordinances under 

this Act. Sets forth terms and restrictions on the provision of such assistance. 

Allocates timber receipts from special management area funds. Directs the 

Secretary to make payments to local governments to compensate for lost real 

property taxes from federally acquired lands. Sets forth limitations on other 

Federal expenditures in such area.

Commercial Filming The Act of May 26, 2000 authorizes retention of fees collected for commercial P.L. 106-206

filming and photography land use authorizations and the obligation of the 

monies for the maintenance of the filming site.

NFS

Common Varieties of This Act provides authority to: (a) dispose of mineral material and (b) approve 30 U.S.C. 601-602

Mineral Materials Act and issue permits to explore and develop oil and gas leases.

of 1947, as Amended
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Authorities 15-6

Public Law, 

U.S.C., Appropriation 

Title Summary of Authority Expiration Affected

Community Forest and Establishes a program to provide federal matching grants to help local P.L. 110-246 S&PF

Open Space governments, tribes, or NGOs acquire private forests that are threatened by 6 U.S.C. 2101a and

Conservation Program conversion to non-forest uses. Properties acquired are working forests open to continuing.

public access. Authorizes appropriations of such sums as necessary.

S&PF

Community Forest and Establishes a program to provide federal matching grants to help local P.L. 110-246

Open Space governments, tribes, or NGOs acquire private forests that are threatened by 16 U.S.C. 2101a

Conservation Program conversion to non-forest uses. Properties acquired are working forests open to and continuing.

public access. Authorizes appropriations of such sums as necessary.

S&PF

Community Forest Extends authorization to make funds available for use on non-Federal lands P.L. 106-393

Restoration Act under State and Private Forestry appropriation.

S&PF

Community Wood Authorizes $5,000,000 in annual appropriations for a Community Wood Energy P.L. 110-246

Energy Program Program through FY 2012. Grants of up to $50,000 to State and local 7 U.S.C. 8113

governments to develop plans for, or to acquire or upgrade community wood 

energy systems. 9/30/2012
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Authorities 15-7

Public Law, 

U.S.C., Appropriation 

Title Summary of Authority Expiration Affected

Comprehensive Forest Service Policy is to use Forest Service CERCLA authority and processes P.L. 96-510

Environmental to respond at sites under Forest Service jurisdiction or control where 42 U.S.C. 9601

Response, hazardous substances, pollutants, or contaminants threaten human health or 

Compensation the environment.

and Liability Many abandoned mine sites are CERCLA sites, since heavy metals such as 

Act of 1980 arsenic, cadmium, and others that may occur in surface water at mine sites are 

(CERCLA) listed as hazardous substances. Further, the Forest Service may invoke 

CERCLA at mining sites where “pollutants or contaminants” such as sediment, 

or metals such as iron or aluminum which are not listed hazardous substances, 

are impacting the environment.

Cooperative Any money collected from the States for fire suppression assistance rendered P.L. 105-277

Firefighting Funds by the Forest Service on non-Federal lands not in the vicinity of National 16 U.S.C. 2106b

Retention Forest System lands shall hereafter be used to reimburse the applicable 

appropriation and shall remain available until expended as the Secretary may 

direct in conducting activities authorized by 16 U.S.C. 2101 note, 2101–2110, 

1606, and 2111.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Authorities 15-8

Public Law, 

U.S.C., Appropriation 

Title Summary of Authority Expiration Affected

S&PF

Cooperative Forestry a. Authorizes cooperation and assistance to non-Federal forest landowners P. L. 095-313

Assistance Act of and communities in rural forest management, urban and community forest 16 U.S.C. 2101-

1978, as Amended management, production of timber and other forest resources, insect and 2114

disease control, rural fire prevention and control, forest management and 

planning assistance, and technology implementation (sec. 3 of the Act).

c. Establishes a forest stewardship program to assist nonindustrial private 

forest landowners to more actively manage their forest resources by utilizing 

the services of existing professional expertise and assistance programs; 

including assistance to State foresters for this purpose; authorizes $25,000,000 

annually for fiscal years 1991 through 1995, and such sums as necessary 

thereafter (16 U.S.C. 2103b) 

(sec. 5 of the Act). 

d. Establishes a forest legacy program and the acquisition of land, including 

conservation easements and rights of public access, to ascertain and protect 

environmentally important forest areas threatened by conversion to non-forest

uses. Pub. L. 104-127 amended the Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act by 

authorizing grants to States (16 U.S.C. 2103c) (sec. 7 of the Act).

e. Authorizes a forest health protection program to protect trees and forests 

from insect infestations, diseases, and man-made stresses; directly on National 

Forest System lands and in cooperation with others on other lands in the 

United States. This work includes monitoring the health of forest lands of the 

United States. Also, authorizes cost share assistance to States, subdivisions of
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Authorities 15-9

Public Law, 

U.S.C., Appropriation 

Title Summary of Authority Expiration Affected

Cooperative Forestry States, or other entities on non-Federal lands, to implement an integrated pest

Assistance Act of management strategy; authorizes $10,000,000 for integrated pest management, 

1978, as Amended and such sums as may be necessary for other activities (16 U.S.C. 2104) (sec. 8 

cont. of the Act).

f. Authorizes an urban and community forest resources education and 

technical assistance program; a competitive challenge cost-share program for 

urban and community forestry projects; a Forestry Advisory Council 

(NUCFAC); and an urban and community tree planting and forest management 

program; authorizes $30,000,000 a year from 1991 to 1995, and such sums as 

may be necessary thereafter (16 U.S.C. 2105) (sec. 9 of the Act). 

g. Authorizes financial, technical, and related assistance to State Foresters and 

through them to other agencies and individuals, including rural volunteer fire 

departments, to conduct preparedness and mobilization activities; authorizes 

$70,000,000 annually (16 U.S.C. 2106) (sec. 10 of the Act).

h. Authorizes cooperative management with State Foresters and equivalent 

State officials related to wildfire threats and establishes the Community and 

Private Land Fire Assistance Program; authorizes $35,000,000 for each of fiscal 

years 2002 through 2007, and such sums as may be necessary thereafter (16 

U.S.C. 2106c) (sec. 10a of the Act).

i. Authorizes management assistance, planning assistance, and technology 

implementation with State Foresters or equivalent State officials (16 U.S.C. 2107)

(sec. 11 of the Act).

j. Authorizes consolidated payments to State Foresters (16 U.S.C. 2108) (sec.12 

of the Act).

k. Authorizes Federal and State coordinating committees to advise on State 

and private forestry issues (16 U.S.C. 2113)
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Authorities 15-10

Public Law, 

U.S.C., Appropriation 

Title Summary of Authority Expiration Affected

S&PF

Cooperative Forestry Allows the Secretary to competitively allocate up to five percent of CFAA funds P.L. 110-246

Innovation for innovative education, outreach, or technology transfer projects. Funds would 16 U.S.C. 2101a

Partnership Projects be available to States, Tribes, local governments, land-grant, or private entities and continuing.

with a 50 percent cost share. No new authorization of appropriations. Title XIV 

(Energy).

Cooperative Funds and Authorizes cooperation for fire protection for public good and where there is P.L. 95-313

Deposits Act mutual benefit, other than monetary consideration.

NFS

Cost Recovery for Allows the Forest Service to charge a fee for analysis of special use P.L. 106-113 

Special Uses authorizations. The aim is to more Sec. 331

expedite approval of rights-of-way and special use authorizations. to cover 

costs incurred by the Forest Service for the processing of applications for 9/30/2012

special use authorizations and for monitoring activities undertaken in 

connection with such authorizations. Amounts in the special account shall 

remain available for such purposes until expended.

Cradle of Forestry The Act of July 4, 1968. This Act authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to P.L. 90-398

cooperate with, and receive the cooperation of, public and private agencies and 16 U.S.C. 471h

organizations and individuals in the development, administration, and

operation of the Cradle of Forestry in western North Carolina. The Secretary of 

Agriculture is authorized to accept contributions and gifts to further the 

purposes of the Act. The 6,500-acre Cradle of Forestry Historic Site in the Pink 

Beds valley, NC, was established by Congress in 1968 and contains the first 

official school for forestry in America – the Biltmore Forest School.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Authorities 15-11

Public Law, 

U.S.C., Appropriation 

Title Summary of Authority Expiration Affected

All

Department of Section 1 authorizes the erection of buildings and other structures on non- P.L. 89-106

Agriculture Grants federal land, with long-term lease and right-to-remove, and authorizes the use of 7 U.S.C. 2250a

and Powers Act of 1965 appropriations for expenses necessary to acquire long-term lease. Also 

provides authority to erect buildings and other structures on non-federal land, 

if a long-term lease on the land is obtained. For this section, long-term lease is 

defined as the estimated life of or need for the structure. This Act also includes

authority to enter into a long-term lease on non-federal land.

NFS

Department of This Act provides that appropriations and funds available to the Department of 7 U.S.C. 2250a

Agriculture Grants Agriculture shall be available for expenses in connection with acquiring the 

and Powers Act of right to use land for such purposes under long-term lease or other agreement.

1965, as amended

NFS

Department of Section 703 authorizes the erection, alteration, and repair of buildings and other P.L. 78-412

Agriculture Organic improvements on Federal land that are necessary to conduct authorized work, 7 U.S.C. 2250

Act of 1944 provided provision is made in applicable appropriations. Such sums as 

appropriated; no expiration date.

NFS

Department of Section 11 for the Act provides authority for acquisition of land to carry out 7 U.S.C. 428a

Agriculture Organic authorized work if provided for in appropriation acts. See also FSM 5420.11d 

Act of 1956 and FSM 2470.1, paragraph 4.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Authorities 15-12

Public Law, 

U.S.C., Appropriation 

Title Summary of Authority Expiration Affected

NFS

Department of This Act authorizes the acquisition of land by purchase, exchange, or other 7 U.S.C. 428a

Agriculture Organic means, to carry out authorized work, provided that provision is made in 

Act of 1956 applicable appropriations. This is one of the primary authorities for acquisition 

of lands with Land and Water Conservation Fund moneys.

NFS

Eastern Wilderness Sections 6 and 9 authorize the acquisition, exchange, and donation of land for 16 U.S.C. 1132

Act of 1975 inclusion in the Eastern Wilderness system.

NFS

Endangered Species Sections 5 and 15 authorize the acquisition of land to protect threatened and 16 U.S.C. 1534

Act of 1973 endangered species

Facilities on Non- Section 1 authorizes expenditure of funds for erection of buildings and other P.L. 89-106

Federal Lands structures on non-federal lands, and for the acquisition of long term leases. 7 U.S.C. 2250a

S&PF

Federal Agricultural Authorizes grants to States for carrying out the Forest Legacy Program, P.L. 103-106 

Improvement and including the acquisition by the State of lands and interests in lands. sec.374

Reform Act, (Forest 

Legacy)
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Authorities 15-13

Public Law, 

U.S.C., Appropriation 

Title Summary of Authority Expiration Affected

Federal Agriculture This Act authorizes the acceptance of contributions for cooperative work in P. L. 104-127

Improvement and forest investigations, protection, management, and improvement of the National 16 U.S.C. 498

Reform Act of 1996 Forest System.

Act of June 30, 1914

Federal Highway Act, This Act establishes the Federal Highway Trust Fund, managed by the P.L. 85-767

as Amended Department of Transportation. Federal highway construction, maintenance, 23 U.S.C. 120, 125, 205

and other projects defined in the Act are financed from the Federal Highway 

Trust Fund. The Department of Transportation transfers these monies to the 

Forest Service for highway projects pertinent to National Forest System lands.

NFS

Federal Land Section 4 of this Act authorizes appropriations to consider, process, and 43 U.S.C. 1716

Exchange Facilitation consummate land exchanges pursuant to the Federal Land Policy and 

Act of 1988 Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1701)

Federal Land This Act authorizes the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to sell parcels of P.L. 106-248, 

Transaction public land regarded as “in –holdings” to reduce land management costs and P.L.111-212 sec. 3007

Facilitation Act fragmentation. 43 U.S.C. 2301

 

7/25/2011
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Authorities 15-14

Public Law, 

U.S.C., Appropriation 

Title Summary of Authority Expiration Affected

NFS

Federal Lands This Act established a new account for Recreation Fee Demonstration program P.L. 108-447

Recreation as a pilot project allowing Federal agencies to increase admission and user fees 16 U.S.C. 6806 and

Enhancement Act at Federal recreation areas and to retain the increased fees for use at the project 6807

level. The Act established new accounts, Timber Sale Pipeline Restoration 

Funds, for the Departments of the Interior and Agriculture for deposit of a 12/31/2014

portion of receipts from certain timber sales to be used for preparation of 

additional timber sales which are not funded by annual appropriations, and for 

the backlog of recreation projects. The termination date is to be determined by 

the Secretaries under provisions of the Act.

Federal Water Project The Act has provided up to 50 percent of the costs of recreation facility P.L. 89-72

Recreation Act, 1965, development at certain reservoirs when a non-Federal entity entered into an 16 U.S.C. 460L-13

as Amended agreement to provide the remaining development funds; to pay all of the costs 

of operations, maintenance, and replacement (OM&R); and to manage the area 

for public recreational use. For reservoirs constructed before 1965, the Federal 

contribution for the development of recreation facilities was limited to $100,000 

for each reservoir.

Fire Protection Authorizes agreements between agencies of the United States Government and 42 U.S.C. 1856a-d

Agreements - Mutual other domestic agencies, including State and local entities and instrumentalities

Aid - Agencies for mutual aid in fire protection.

FLAME Act of 2009 The FLAME Act of 2009 states, " ..for fiscal year 2011 and each fiscal year P. L. 111-888

thereafter, the amounts requested by the President for a FLAME Fund should 

be not less than the amount estimated by the Secretary concerned as the 

amount necessary for that fiscal year for wildfire suppression activities of the 

Secretary that meet the criteria specified..." and the criteria are fires that 1)cover 300 

or more acres, 2)significant complexity, severity, or threat posed by the fire.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Authorities 15-15

Public Law, 

U.S.C., Appropriation 

Title Summary of Authority Expiration Affected

All

Food and Agriculture Designates the U.S. Department of Agriculture as the lead agency of the P.L. 95-113

Act of 1977 Federal government for agricultural research, extension, and teaching. It also 7 U.S.C. 3318-3319d

removes restrictions on the use of cooperative agreements with universities 

and permits cost reimbursable agreements with State cooperating institutions 

without competition.

S&PF

Food, Agriculture, (Title XII, Subtitle B, Chapter 2, section 1241 (Research and Utilization), section P.L. 101-624

Conservation, and 1244 (Forest Land Protection), Subtitle C (America the Beautiful Act of 1990), 16 U.S.C. 2106; 

Trade Act of 1990 Subtitle D (Miscellaneous Provisions); and Title XXIII, Subtitle G, chapter 2 7 U.S.C. 6601 

(National Forest-Dependent Rural Communities Economic Diversification Act 

of 1990, amended by Pub. L. 103-115, which changes the definition of rural 

communities for eligibility for economic recovery.)). a. Section 1241 authorizes

the Modern Timber Bridge Initiative, with an authorization of $5,000,000 annually.

b. Section 1271 authorizes assistance to landowners who suffer destruction of 

35 percent or more of a commercial tree stand due to damaging weather, related 

condition, or wildfire (16 U.S.C. 2106a). c. Section 2371 authorizes the establishment

of and economic development and global marketing program (7 U.S.C 6601).

Activities include: (1) transfer technologies to natural resource-based industries

in the United States to make such industries more efficient, productive, and competitive;

(2) assist businesses to identify global marketing opportunities, conduct business on

and international basis, and market themselves more effectively; and (3) train 

local leaders in strategic community economic development. The Healthy 

Forest Initiative amended section 2371 of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, 

and Trade Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 6601) by adding a new program called, “Rural 

Revitalization Technologies” d. Sections 2372-2379 authorize assistance to rural communities 

in or near national forests; establishment of rural forestry and economic diversification 

action teams; and loans to economically disadvantaged rural communities. Authorizes 

sales of timber and other forest products and user fees, plus additional sums as necessary, 

as provided in appropriations acts.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Authorities 15-16

Public Law, 

U.S.C., Appropriation 

Title Summary of Authority Expiration Affected

All

Forest and Rangeland Requires preparation of a renewable resource assessment, program plans, P.L. 93-378

Renewable Resources inventories, and budget request, and an update to these plans every 10 years; 16 U.S.C. 1601

Planning Act of 1974, such sums as appropriated; no expiration date.

as Amended

NFS

Forest and Rangeland Section 3 authorizes the construction and acquisition of research laboratories P.L. 95-307

Renewable Resources and facilities and the acquisition of necessary land. P.L. 101-624 Provided P.L. 100-521, 

Research Act of 1978, authority for competitive grants, research studies, wood fiber recycling, P.L. 101-624

as Amended conducting tests, and establishing a forestry student grant program for 16 U.S.C. 1643a

minority and female students.

NFS

Forest and Rangeland (1) To conduct, support, and cooperate in investigations, tests, and other P. L. 093-378

Renewable Resources activities necessary to obtain, analyze, develop, demonstrate, and disseminate 16 U.S.C. 1600 -1648

Research Act of June scientific information about protecting, managing, and utilizing forest and 

30, 1978, as Amended rangeland renewable resources in rural, suburban, and urban areas.

(2) For competitive grants and advance of funds to cooperators and grantees.

(3) For research encouraging improved reforestation of cutover lands.

b. Authorizes development and implementation of improved methods of survey

and analysis of forest inventory information.

c. Authorizes research studies and other activities deemed necessary to: 

(1) Evaluate renewable resource management problems associated with urbanforest interface. 

(2) Assess effects of changes in federal revenue codes on private forest 

management and investment.

(3) Develop improved delivery systems for information and technical 

assistance provided to private landowners.

d. Authorizes an expanded wood fiber recycling research program.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Authorities 15-17

Public Law, 

U.S.C., Appropriation 

Title Summary of Authority Expiration Affected

R&D

Forest Biomass for Authorizes $15,000,000 in annual appropriations for a forest biomass for energy P.L. 110-246

Energy program through FY 2012. To develop technology and techniques to use low- 7 U.S.C. 8112

value forest biomass for the production of energy.

9/30/2012

Forest Botanical The pilot program provides a mechanism to fund the environmental analyses P.L. 106-113 

Products and administrative tasks necessary to implement it. Generally, the law requires P.L. 111-88

the agency to charge and collect a fee covering at least a portion of the fair 16 U.S.C. 528

market value for the harvest of forest botanical products and a portion of the 

costs the agency incurs in administering the program. The fees collected may 9/30/2014

also be used to pay for the costs of conducting inventories of forest botanical 

products, determining sustainable levels of harvest, monitoring and assessing 

the impacts of harvest levels and methods, and conducting restoration 

activities, including any necessary vegetation.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Authorities 15-18

Public Law, 

U.S.C., Appropriation 

Title Summary of Authority Expiration Affected

R&D

Forest Inventory The FY 2000 Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations Act added Forest P.L. 106-113

Analysis Data Privacy Inventory and Analysis (FIA) Program to the existing Food Security Act of 7 U.S.C. 2276

1985 , thus providing a legal basis for protecting the privacy of the data 

suppliers. These protections take the following form:

a. Authorized Disclosure. In the case of information furnished under a 

provision of law referred to in subsection (d), neither the Secretary of 

Agriculture, any other officer or employee of the Department of Agriculture or 

agency thereof, nor any other person may do the following:

(1) Use such information for a purpose other than the development or reporting

of aggregate data in a manner such that the identity of the person who 

supplied such information is not discernible and is not material to the intended 

use of such information; or

(2) Disclose such information to the public, unless such information has been 

transformed into statistical or aggregate form that does not allow the 

identification of the person who supplied the information.

b. Duty of Secretary; immunity from disclosure; necessary consent:

(1) In carrying out a provision of law referred to in subsection (d), no 

department, agency, officer, or employee of the Federal government, other than 

the Secretary of Agriculture, shall require a person to furnish a copy of 

statistical information provided to the Department of Agriculture.

(2) A copy of such information:

(a) Must be immune from mandatory disclosure of any type, including legal 

process; and 

(b) Must not, without the consent of such person, be admitted as evidence or 

used for any purpose in any action, suit, or other judicial or administrative 

proceeding.

c. Violations; penalties. Any person who shall publish, cause to be published, 

or otherwise publicly release information collected pursuant to a provision of 

law referred to in subsection (d), in any manner or for any purpose prohibited in

section (a), may be fined not more than $10,000 or imprisoned for not more than 1 year, or both.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Authorities 15-19

Public Law, 

U.S.C., Appropriation 

Title Summary of Authority Expiration Affected

Forest Service This Act authorizes the collection of rental income from employees living in P.L. 98-473

Quarters Operations government residences. Such rents and charges shall be deposited in a special 5 U.S.C. 5911

and Maintenance Treasury fund, to remain available for obligation until expended, for 

maintenance and operation of quarters.

Gifts, Donations, and The Act of June 30, 1978: This Act authorizes the acceptance and use of P.L. 95-307

Bequests for Research donated funds for research activities. Establishes a special fund in Treasury for 16 U.S.C. 1643

gifts, donations, and bequests, or the proceeds thereof, and money 

appropriated for these purposes. Any money contributions received shall 

remain available until expended.

Gifts, donations, and The Act of October 10, 1978 authorizes agencies within the U.S. Department of P.L. 95-442

Bequests to the Agriculture to accept donations for non-research activities. This Act 7 U.S.C. 2269

Department of authorizes the acceptance of donations of land or other real property.

Agriculture

Global Change Establishes the Committee on Earth and Environmental Sciences, part of the P.L. 101-606

Research Act of 1990 Federal Coordinating Council on Science, Engineering, and Technology under 15 U.S.C. 2931

the Office of Science and Technology Policy of the Executive Office of the 

President. Authorizes funded participation in the United States Global Change 

Research Program as the Forest Service Global Change Research Program.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Authorities 15-20

Public Law, 

U.S.C., Appropriation 

Title Summary of Authority Expiration Affected

All

Granger-Thye Act of This Act authorizes cooperation with other parties to perform work for P.L. 81-478

April 24, 1950 permittees, agencies, organizations, and persons for work that the Forest 16 U.S.C. 572

Service is authorized to do, on lands of the United States. Also allows for 

research funds to be advanced to cooperators. Authorizes assistance for work 

on other than Forest Service jurisdictions.

NFS

Grazing Permits The terms and conditions contained in the expired, transferred, or waived (or P.L. 108-108

renewed prior to 2004) permit or lease shall continue in effect under the renewed P.L. 111-88

permit or lease until such time as the Secretary completes processing of such P.L. 112-74

permit or lease in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations or until 43 U.S.C. 1752

the expiration of the renewed permit, whichever comes first. At which time 

such permit or lease may be canceled, suspended or modified, in whole or in 9/30/2013

part, to meet the requirements of such applicable laws and regulations.

NFS

Grey Towers National Creates permanently available Grey Towers National Historic Site Fund. The P.L. 108-44, Sec. 

Historic Site Act of Secretary is authorized to enter into Agreements for grants, contracts, and 348

2004 cooperative agreements as appropriate with the Pinchot Institute, public and 16 U.S.C. 461 note

other private agencies, organizations, institutions, and individuals to provide 

for the development, administration, maintenance, or restoration of land, 

facilities, or Forest Service programs at Grey Towers or to otherwise further the 

purposes of this section. Any public or private agency, organization, 

institution, or individual may solicit, accept, and administer private gifts of 

money and real or personal property for the benefit of or in connection with, the

activities and services at the Historic Site.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Authorities 15-21

Public Law, 

U.S.C., Appropriation 

Title Summary of Authority Expiration Affected

Hardwood Technology This Act establishes the Institute of Hardwood Technology Transfer and P.L. 106-113

Transfer and Applied Applied Research in Princeton, West Virginia, previously named the Robert C. 16 U.S.C. 1650

Research Byrd Hardwood Technology Center in West Virginia. Certain revenues shall be

deposited into a special Treasury fund to be available for obligation until 

expended.

S&PF, 

Hawaii Tropical This Act grants authorities to the Secretary of Agriculture to treat invasive P.L. 102-574 International 

Forestry Recovery Act plants on Federal and non-Federal ownerships in Hawaii and in tropical forests 16 U.S.C. 4505 Forestry

of 1992 on Federal lands in other States.

All

Healthy Forests This Act improves the capacity of the Secretary of Agriculture to conduct P.L. 109-148 

Restoration Act of 2003 hazardous fuels reduction projects on National Forest System lands aimed at P.L. 110-246

protecting communities, watersheds, and certain other at-risk lands from 16 U.S.C. 6501

catastrophic wildfire, to enhance efforts to protect watersheds and address

threats to forest and rangeland health, including catastrophic wildfire. 

Amendment allows for cost share agreements. 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Authorities 15-22

Public Law, 

U.S.C., Appropriation 

Title Summary of Authority Expiration Affected

Herger-Feinstein The agreement by a coalition of representatives of fisheries, timber, P.L. 110-161, Sec 

Quincy Library Group environmental, county government, citizen groups, and local communities that 434

Forestry Recovery formed in northern California to develop a resource management program that 

Act promotes ecologic and economic health for certain Federal lands and 

communities in the Sierra Nevada area. Such proposal includes the map entitled 16 U.S.C. 2104 

"QUINCY LIBRARY GROUP Community Stability Proposal". Pilot project and note

purpose.--The Secretary of Agriculture acting through the Forest Service and 

after completion of an environmental impact, shall conduct a pilot project on the 9/30/2012

Federal lands described in paragraph to implement and demonstrate the 

effectiveness of the resource management activities described in subsection 

and the other requirements of this section, as recommended in the Quincy 

Library Group-Community Stability Proposal. The Secretary shall conduct the 

pilot project on the Federal lands within Plumas National Forest, Lassen 

National Forest, and the Sierraville Ranger District of Tahoe National Forest in 

the State of California designated as "Available for Group Selection" on the 

map entitled "QUINCY LIBRARY GROUP Community Stability Proposal", dated

October 12, 1993 (in this section referred to as the "pilot project area"). Such 

map shall be on file and available for inspection in the appropriate offices of the

Forest Service.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Authorities 15-23

Public Law, 

U.S.C., Appropriation 

Title Summary of Authority Expiration Affected

NFS

Historic Preservation This Act authorizes use of appropriated funds for the preservation and 16 U.S.C. 470

Act of 1966 protection of historical and archaeological resources.

Illinois Land This Act authorizes the conversion of Joliet Army Ammunition Plant to the P.L. 104-106

Conservation Act of Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie. Further, certain revenue receipts from the 16 U.S.C. 1609

1995 Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie are authorized for deposit into a special 

Treasury fund to be available for obligation until expended.

International 

International Forestry a. Authorizes support (including cooperation, financial, and technical P.L. 101-513, forestry

Cooperation Act of assistance, without reimbursement) for international forestry and related natural P.L.110-234

1990, as Amended resource activities outside the United States, and its territories, and 16 U.S.C. 4501

possessions, with a focus on those countries that could have a substantial 

impact on emissions of greenhouse gases related to global warming. 9/30/2012

b. Authorizes support of the Tropical Forestry Action Plan and activities 

specifically addressing tropical deforestation and degradation.

c. Authorizes expansion of the capabilities of the International Institute of 

Tropical Forestry in Puerto Rico.

NFS

Job Corps Comptroller General Decision B-215842, dated June 25, 1986, (65 Comp.Gen.666).

In accordance with this Comptroller General Decision Job Corps reimbursable 

authority is restricted to the activities of collections from non-students for 

meals in the students’ dining hall and collections from students for lost and/or 

damaged tools and clothing.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Authorities 15-24

Public Law, 

U.S.C., Appropriation 

Title Summary of Authority Expiration Affected

Knutson-Vandenberg This Act authorizes the use of collections from timber sale purchases for sale P.L. 71-319

Act of June 9, 1930, as area improvement work, and for work anywhere within the region where the 16 U.S.C. 576b

amended timber sale occurred.

All

Land Acquisition Act Where no suitable Government land is available for national forest 16 U.S.C. 555

of March 3, 1925 headquarters, ranger stations, dwellings, or for other sites required for the 

effective conduct of the authorized activities of the Forest Service, the 

Secretary of Agriculture is authorized to purchase such lands out of the 

appropriation applicable to the purpose for which the land is to be used, and 

accept donations of land for any national forest or experimental purpose. This 

authority is limited to $50,000 per fiscal year.

NFS

Land Acquisition Act This Act authorizes the purchase of land for administrative sites and P. L. 85–464

of March 3, 1925, as acceptance of donations of land when no suitable Government land is available. 16 U.S.C. 555

amended Appropriated funds must be available for the purpose for which the land is to 

be used. This authority is subject to an annual, service-wide limitation of 

$50,000.

NFS

Land and Facilities CONVEYANCES AUTHORIZED.—In the manner provided by this title, the P.L. 109-54 

Conveyance Secretary may convey an administrative site, or an interest in an administrative P.L.1 11-8 

(Realignment) site, that is under the jurisdiction of the Secretary. The conveyance of an P.L. 112-74

administrative site under this title may be made—(1) by sale; (2) by lease; (3) by 16 U.S.C. 580d

exchange; (4) by a combination of sale and exchange; or (5) by such other 

means as the Secretary considers appropriate 9/30/2016
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Authorities 15-25

Public Law, 

U.S.C., Appropriation 

Title Summary of Authority Expiration Affected

Land and Water Created by Congress in 1964, the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) P.L. 88-578

Conservation Fund Act provides money to federal, state and local governments to purchase land, water 16 U.S.C. 460i-4

of 1965, as Amended and wetlands for the benefit of all Americans. The Fund receives money from 

fees paid by companies drilling offshore for oil and gas. Other funding sources 9/30/2015

include the sale of surplus federal real estate and taxes on motorboat fuel.

Land Between the This Act authorizes the Forest Service to retain certain recreation revenue P.L. 105-277, 

Lakes Protection Act receipts from the Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area, to be Title V of Sec. 

of 1998 deposited into a special Treasury fund to be available for obligation until 101(e)

expended.

R&D, 

McIntire-Stennis Act Please see U.S.C. link for sections 581a-1 through 581a-8. Authorizes the P.L. 87-788 S&PF

of 1962, as Amended Secretary of Agriculture to cooperate and assist State colleges and universities P.L.101-624

in forestry research on a matching funds basis. 16 U.S.C. 582a

b. Authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to make competitive grants to a 

State agricultural experiment station, college, or university, research institution 

or organization, Federal agency, private organization, or corporation with the 

demonstrable capacity to conduct forestry, natural resource, and environmental

research; and to update research facilities and equipment available for this type

of research.

NFS

Mineral Leasing Act Rights-of-way through any Federal lands may be granted by the Secretary of P.L. 66-146

(Pipelines) the Interior or appropriate agency head for pipeline purposes for the 30 U.S.C. 185

transportation of oil, natural gas, synthetic liquid or gaseous fuels, or any 

refined product
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Authorities 15-26

Public Law, 

U.S.C., Appropriation 

Title Summary of Authority Expiration Affected

NFS

Mississippi National Authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to sell or exchange U.S. right, title, and 

Forest Improvement interest in and to specified lands in Mississippi. Makes proceeds from such 

Act of 1999 sales or exchanges available for: (1) the construction of a research laboratory 

and office at the Forest Service administrative site at Mississippi State 

University at Starkville, Mississippi; (2) the acquisition, construction, or 

improvement of administrative facilities in connection with National Forest 

System units in the State; and (3) the acquisition of lands and interests in land 

for such

NFS

Multiple-Use Clarifies Forest lands are to be administered for outdoor recreation, range, P.L. 86-517

Sustained-Yield Act of timber, watershed, wildlife, and fish. Authorized and directed the development 16 U.S.C. 528 (note)

1960 and administration of the renewable surface resources of the National Forests 

for multiple use and sustained yield of the several products and services 

obtained there from.

All

Mutually Beneficial Established permanent authority for the Forest Service to enter in to mutually P.L. 111-11, sec. 

Agreements beneficial agreements with public or private agencies, organizations, 3001

institutions, or persons. Exempts watershed restoration and enhancement 16 U.S.C. 1011

agreements and agreements under the first section of P.L. 94-148 from Chapter 

63 of Title 31, United States Code.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Authorities 15-27

Public Law, 

U.S.C., Appropriation 

Title Summary of Authority Expiration Affected

NFS

National and Authorizes the Secretary to enter in to contracts or cooperative agreements P.L. 103-82

Community Service with any qualified youth or conservation corps for completion of conservation 42 U.S.C. 12501

Act of September 21, work.

1993

NFS

National Forest For the purpose of achieving the policies set forth in the Multiple-Use P.L. 94-588

Management Act of Sustained-Yield Act of 1960 (16 U.S.C. 528-531) and the Forest and Rangeland 16 U.S.C. 472a

1976 Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974 (16 U.S.C. 1600 et seq.), the 

Secretary of Agriculture, under such rules and regulations as he may prescribe, 

may sell, at not less than appraised value, trees, portions of trees, or forest 

products located on National Forest System lands.

NFS

National Forest Roads This Act authorize the acquisition, construction, and maintenance of National P.L. 88-657

and Trails Act of 1964 Forest System roads and trails. 16 U.S.C. 532-538

NFS

National Forest Ski The Acts authorize the issuance of permits for use and occupancy of suitable P.L. 99-522

Area Permit Act of lands within the National Forest System for construction and maintenance of 16 U.S.C. 497 

1986 buildings, structures, and other facilities for hotels, resorts, summer homes, 

stores, industrial or commercial purposes, education or other public use, alpine 

and nordic skiing operations, and so forth.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Authorities 15-28

Public Law, 

U.S.C., Appropriation 

Title Summary of Authority Expiration Affected

LEI

National Forest Authorized the Secretary of Agriculture to prevent and control drug abuse on P.L. 99-570

System Drug Control National Forest System lands, including investigative powers beyond the 16 U.S.C. 559b

Act of 1986 exterior boundaries of the National Forest System. For employment, equipment,

facilities, training, and cooperative programs, $10 million annually.

National Tallgrass Established the Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie in Illinois, to be managed as P.L. 104-106

Prairie part of the National Forest System.

NFS

National Trails Sections 7 and 10 authorize the acquisition, exchange, and donation of land for 16 U.S.C. 1241

System Act of 1968, as the National Trails System and for development, management, and volunteer 

Amended assistance on the system.

NFS

National Trails Sections 7 and 10 provide the authority for land acquisition, exchange, and 16 U.S.C. 1241-1251

System Act of 1968, as donation for inclusion in the National Trails System.

Amended

S&PF

Noxious Weed Control, Authorizes reimbursement of States for noxious weed control on federal land. P.L. 90-583

Carlson-Foley Act of 43 U.S.C. 551(a)

1968
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Authorities 15-29

Public Law, 

U.S.C., Appropriation 

Title Summary of Authority Expiration Affected

NFS

Occupancy Permits, To permit the use and occupancy of areas for the purpose of constructing or P.L. 063-293

Act of March 4, 1915 maintaining hotels, resorts, summer homes, commercial purposes, and other 16 U.S.C. 497

structures. (Note: There are special provisions under P.L. 99-522 for ski areas).

Organic Directs the Secretary of Agriculture to protect National Forests against 16 U.S.C. 551

Administration Act of destruction by fire and depredations.

1897, as Amended

Payments to The Act of June 22, 1948, as amended. This Act, commonly known as 16 U.S.C. 577g

Minnesota Counties “Payments to Minnesota Counties”, authorizes annual payments on a fiscal 

year basis to the State of Minnesota from any national forest receipts not 

otherwise appropriated, an amount equivalent to three-quarters of 1 percent of 

the fair appraised value of certain national forest lands specified in the Act, 

situated in three Minnesota counties (sec. 61.2). Payments under the Act of 

May 23, 1908 (sec. 60.1, 

para. 1), shall not be applicable to the national forest land to which this Act 

applies.

Payments to States The Act of May 23, 1908, as amended. This Act, commonly known as P.L. 60-136

“Payments to States”, authorizes annual payments on a fiscal year basis to 16 U.S.C. 500

States equal to 25 percent of revenues from the sale of goods and services by 

the national forests. States shall use these payments for schools and roads.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Authorities 15-30

Public Law, 

U.S.C., Appropriation 

Title Summary of Authority Expiration Affected

S&PF

Pest and Disease Pest and Disease Revolving Loan Fund (Section 10205) – establishes a P.L. 110-246

Revolving Loan Fund revolving loan fund to provide low interest loans to local governments to 16 U.S.C. 2101

finance purchases of authorized equipment to monitor, remove, dispose of, and 

replace infested trees. Authorizes appropriations of such sums as are necessary.

NFS

Preservation of These Acts authorizes use of appropriated funds for the preservation and P.L. 96-95 

Historical and protection of historical and archaeological resources and protection of P.L. 93-291 

Archaeological Data archaeological data. P.L. 106-355

All

Private Schooling, ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISION: Funds available to the Forest Service may be P. L. 108-447

Puerto Rico used for the purpose of expenses associated with primary and secondary P.L. 109-54

schooling for dependents of agency personnel stationed in Puerto Rico at a P.L. 111-88

cost not in excess of those authorized for the Department of Defense for the 

same area, at the discretion of the Chief of the Forest Service. 9/30/2014

Quinault Special The Act of November 8, 1968. This Act establishes the “Quinault Special P.L. 100-638

Management Area Management Area” from part of the Olympic National Forest, and assigns 

responsibility to the Forest Service for managing its natural resources and 

distributing proceeds from the sale of forest products according to provisions 

of the Act.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Authorities 15-31

Public Law, 

U.S.C., Appropriation 

Title Summary of Authority Expiration Affected

Reforestation Trust This Act establishes the Reforestation Trust Fund which receives monetary P.L. 96-451

Fund resources through an annual warrant from Treasury, of monies received for 16 U.S.C. 1606a

certain customs duties and tariffs. No more than $30,000,000 may be deposited 

annually. The trust fund balance is available for reforestation and other 

“treatment of acreage.” The Act’s provisions give investment authority to the 

Forest Service for the trust fund balance.

R&D

Research Facilities This Act authorizes support for agricultural research (including forestry) at P.L. 88-74 

Act of 1963, as eligible institutions through Federal grant funds, on a matching funds basis, to P.L. 95-113, 

Amended help finance physical facilities and equipment as required for the effective P.L. 99-198

conduct of agricultural research and related academic programs. 7 U.S.C. 390 - 390c

R&D

Research Grants Act Provides, to agencies authorized to enter into contracts for basic scientific P.L. 85-934

of 1958, as Amended research with nonprofit institution and organizations, authority to make grants 42 U.S.C. 1891-1893

to such institutions and organizations; title to equipment purchased with such 

grants being vested with the nonprofit organization or institution. Such sums 

as are necessary; no expiration date.

Resource An Act to provide technical and financial assistance for the development of P.L. 94-580

Conservation and management plans and facilities for the recovery of energy and other resources 

Recovery Act (RCRA) from discarded materials and for the safe disposal of discarded materials, and to

regulate the management of hazardous waste. RCRA was last reauthorized by 

the Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendments of 1984. The amendments set 

deadlines for permit issuance, prohibited the land disposal of many types of 

hazardous waste without prior treatment, required the use of specific 

technologies at land disposal facilities, and established a new program 

regulating underground storage tanks. 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Authorities 15-32

Public Law, 

U.S.C., Appropriation 

Title Summary of Authority Expiration Affected

Restoration of Any moneys received by the United States with respect to lands under the P.L. 85-464

National Forest Lands administration of the Forest Service (a) as a result of the forfeiture of a bond or 16 U.S.C. 579c

and Improvements Act deposit by a permittee or timber purchaser for failure to complete performance 

of improvement, protection, or rehabilitation work required under the permit or 

timber sale contract or (b) as a result of a judgment, compromise, or settlement 

of any claim, involving present or potential damage to lands or improvements, 

shall be deposited into the Treasury and are hereby appropriated and made 

available until expended to cover the cost to the United States of any 

improvement, protection, or rehabilitation work on lands under the 

administration of the Forest Service rendered necessary by the action which led

to the forfeiture, judgment, compromise, or settlement: Provided, That any 

portion of the moneys so received in excess of the amount expended in 

performing the work necessitated by the action which led to their receipt shall 

be transferred to miscellaneous receipts.

NFS

Retention of Receipts, This Act authorizes the Forest Service to retain 15 percent of certain recreation P.L. 103-66

Omnibus Budget receipts to defray the costs of collecting those receipts. 16 U.S.C. 460i-6c,

Reconciliation Act of 16 U.S.C. 500, 16

1993

NFS

Rights-of-Way for Forest highways are generally constructed by the FHWA and then transferred P.L. 85-767

Highways to State ownership and control. This act authorizes appropriate transfer, to 

States, National Forest System lands for highway rights-of-way.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Authorities 15-33

Public Law, 

U.S.C., Appropriation 

Title Summary of Authority Expiration Affected

Robert S. Kerr The Act of June 6, 1968. This Act authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to P.L. 90-327

Memorial Arboretum cooperate with, and receive the cooperation of, public and private agencies and 16 U.S.C. 693b-d

and Nature Center organizations and individuals in the development, administration, and 

operation of the Robert S. Kerr Memorial Arboretum and Nature Center in the 

Ouachita National Forest in Arkansas. The Secretary of Agriculture is 

authorized to accept contributions and gifts to further the purposes of the Act.

NFS

Rogue River This Act authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to convey the administrative P.L. 105-282

Conveyance and site for the Rogue River National Forest and use the proceeds for the 

Improvement Act construction or improvement of offices and support buildings for the Rogue 

River National Forest and the Bureau of Land Management.

Rural Revitalization Authorizes $5,000,000 in annual appropriations for forestry rural revitalization P.L. 110-246

Technologies technologies to: (A) accelerate adoption of technologies using biomass and 7 U.S.C. 6601

small-diameter materials; (B) create community-based enterprises through 

marketing activities and demonstration projects; and (C) establish small-scale 9/30/2012

business enterprises to make use of biomass and small-diameter materials.

Secure Rural Schools For each of fiscal years 2008 through 2011, the Secretary of Agriculture shall P.L. 106-393 

and Community Self- calculate for each eligible State an amount...Election to receive payment must P.L.110-343

Determination Act of be made by each affected county by August 1, 2009, and August 1 of each 16 U.S.C. 500

2000 second fiscal year thereafter...For 2008 90 percent of, for 2009 81 percent of, for 

2010 73 percent of. (See full text for calculation methodology). 9/30/2011

Public Law, 
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Authorities 15-34

U.S.C., Appropriation 

Title Summary of Authority Expiration Affected

All

Service First The Secretaries of the Interior and Agriculture, subject to annual review of P.L. 106-291

Congress, may establish pilot programs involving the land management P.L.109-54 

agencies referred to in this section to conduct projects, planning, permitting, P.L. 111-8 

leasing, contracting and other activities, either jointly or on behalf of one P.L. 112-74

another; may co-locate in Federal offices and facilities leased by an agency of 43 U.S.C. 1701

either Department; and promulgate special rules as needed to test the feasibility note

of issuing unified permits, applications, and leases. The Secretaries of the 

Interior and Agriculture may make reciprocal delegations of their respective 

authorities, duties and responsibilities in support of the "Service First" 

initiative agency-wide to promote customer service and efficiency. Nothing 

herein shall alter, expand or limit the applicability of any public law or regulation

to lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management, National Park 

Service, Fish and Wildlife Service, or the Forest Service. To facilitate the 

sharing of resources under the Service First initiative, the Secretaries of the 

Interior and Agriculture may make transfers of funds and reimbursement of 

funds on an annual basis, including transfers and reimbursements for multi-year

projects, except that this authority may not be used to circumvent requirements

and limitations imposed on the use of funds.

NFS

Shasta Trinity Marina A permit fee for a marina on the Shasta-Trinity National Forest shall be P.L. 110-161

Permit Fee Collection deposited in a special account in the Treasury established for the Secretary of 

Agriculture, and shall remain available to the Secretary of Agriculture until 12/8/2014

expended, without further appropriation, for purposes stated in section 

808(a)(3)(A-D) of title VIII of division J of Public Law 108-447 (16 U.S.C. 6807), 

and for direct operating or capital costs associated with the issuance of a 

marina permit.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Authorities 15-35

Public Law, 

U.S.C., Appropriation 

Title Summary of Authority Expiration Affected

NFS, S&PF

Sisk Act of 1971, as This Act authorizes cooperation with States and political subdivisions in P.L. 92-82

Amended enforcement of State and local laws on National Forest System lands, and 16 U.S.C. 551a

reimbursement of States and political subdivisions for expenditures incurred in 

such activities.

NFS

Small Tracts Act of This Act authorizes the sale, exchange, or interchange of National Forest 16 U.S.C. 521

January 12, 1983 System lands of forty acres or less and of $150,000 or less in value.

All

Soil and Water This Act authorizes cooperation in soil and water resource appraisal and P.L. 95-192

Resources conservation. The provisions of this Act terminate on December 31, 2018 (16 P.L. 110-246

Conservation Act of U.S.C. 2009). 12/31/2018

1977

Southwest Forest Establishes institutes to demonstrate and promote the use of adaptive P. L. 108-317

Health and Wildfire ecosystem management to reduce the risk of wildfires, and restore the health of 16 U.S.C. 6701-

Prevention Act of fire-adapted forest and woodland ecosystems of the interior west. If the 6707

2004, Ecological Secretary determines that an Institute does not qualify for further Federal 

assistance under this Act, the Institute shall receive no further Federal 

assistance under this Act until such time as the qualifications of the Institute 

are reestablished..

State and Private Allows for a portion of CFAA funds, determined by the Secretary, to be P.L. 110-246 S&PF

Forestry Redesign competitively allocated to State Forestry agencies. No new authorization of 

appropriations.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Authorities 15-36

Public Law, 

U.S.C., Appropriation 

Title Summary of Authority Expiration Affected

S&PF

State-wide Authorization of appropriations for State-wide assessment and strategies for P.L. 110-246

Assessment and forest resources. 16 U.S.C. 2101

Strategies for Forest 

Resources 9/30/2012

Stewardship Projects Section 323 of House Report 108-10 grants the Forest Service authority until P.L. 108-7

September 30, 2013, to enter into stewardship projects with private persons or 16 U.S.C. 2104

public or private entities, by contract or by agreement, to perform services to 

achieve land management goals for the national forests or public lands that 9/30/2013

meet local and rural community needs.

NFS

Ten-percent Roads and Act of March 4, 1913, as amended. This Act, commonly known as “Ten- P.L. 62-430

Trails percent Roads and Trails”, authorizes 10 percent of all moneys received from 16 U.S.C. 501

the national forests during each fiscal year shall be available to be expended for

the construction and maintenance of roads and trails within the national 

forests in the States from which such proceeds are derived. Annual 

appropriation Acts have amended this Act to allow the Secretary of Agriculture

to expend funds without regard to the State in which the amounts were 

derived.

NFS

Texas National To authorize the Secretary of Agriculture to convey certain administrative sites P.L. 106-330

Forests Improvement for National Forest System lands in the State of Texas, to convey certain 

Act of 2000 National Forest System land to the New Waverly Gulf Coast Trades Center, and

for other purposes.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Authorities 15-37

Public Law, 

U.S.C., Appropriation 

Title Summary of Authority Expiration Affected

The Roads and Trails This Act authorizes the construction of roads using cooperative financing from 16 U.S.C. 532-537

Act of October 13, 1964 other agencies.

The Smokey Bear Act This Act authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to deposit all fees collected P.L. 82-359

under regulations promulgated by the Secretary relating to “Smokey Bear”, into 16 U.S.C. 580p-2

a special Treasury account to be available to further the nationwide forest fire 

prevention campaign. Most fees deposited under this Act are royalty fees from

Smokey Bear character-licensing collection agreements with merchandisers.

Timber Sale Pipeline Fiscal Year 1995 Supplemental Appropriations for Disaster Assistance and P.L. 104-19

Rescissions Act. Section 2001(k) of this Act released certain timber sales that 

had been suspended legally for various environmental reasons. These timber 

sales are referred to as first generation sales under the Timber Sale Pipeline 

Restoration program.

Timber Sale Pipeline Office of General Counsel Opinion dated December 13, 2002. This opinion 

Restoration Fund states that timber sales under the Timber Pipeline Restoration program must use

sales receipts for payments to States before net receipts are deposited into the 

Timber Sale Pipeline Restoration Fund.

Tongass Timber This Act established the Tongass Timber Supply Fund with related 16 U.S.C. 539d

Reform Act of 1990 appropriations to finance the consistent supply of saw timber from the Tongass

National Forest to meet the annual market demand as defined in the Act and to 

use wood products which might otherwise not be utilized.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Authorities 15-38

Public Law, 

U.S.C., Appropriation 

Title Summary of Authority Expiration Affected

NFS

Transfer of Funds to Authorization to transfer up to $10,000,000 from the National Forest Systems P.L. 108-447 

BLM for Wild Horse appropriation to BLM for removal, preparation, and adoption of excess wild P.L. 111-88

and Burro and horses and burros from NFS lands, and for cadastral surveys to designate the 

Cadastral Surveys boundaries of such lands. 9/30/2012

Twenty-five Percent of This Act authorizes annual payments on a calendar year basis to counties, P.L. 75-210

Revenues to Counties equal to 25 percent of net revenues received during the year (excluding receipts 7 U.S.C. 1012

from the sale of land). Counties shall use these payments for schools and/or 

roads. This Act pertains primarily to national grasslands and land utilization 

projects.

All

U.S. Mining Laws Act This Act governs mining activities for valuable minerals on public domain lands. 30 U.S.C. 22

of May 10, 1872, as 

Amended

Use of Funds for Hereafter, any appropriations or funds available to the Forest Service may be P.L. 105-277

Program Information used to disseminate program information to private and public individuals and 16 U.S.C. 556h

Purposes and for organizations through the use of nonmonetary items of nominal value. This act 

Nonmonetary Awards also provides for nonmonetary awards of nominal value and to incurring of 

necessary expenses for the nonmonetary recognition of private individuals and 

organizations making contributions to Forest Service programs.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Authorities 15-39

Public Law, 

U.S.C., Appropriation 

Title Summary of Authority Expiration Affected

All

Utah Good Neighbor The Secretary of Agriculture, via cooperative P.L. 108-447

agreement or contract (including sole source contract) as appropriate, may P.L. 112-74

permit the State Forester of the State of Utah to perform forest, rangeland, and 

watershed restoration services on National Forest System lands in the State of 9/30/2013

Utah. The types of restoration services that maybe contracted under this 

authority include treatment of insect infected trees, reduction of hazardous 

fuels, and other activities

to restore or improve forest, rangeland, and watershed health including fish and

wildlife habitat.

NFS

Valles Caldera This Act authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to acquire the Baca Ranch in P.L. 106-248

Preservation Act of New Mexico and establish such lands as a unit of the National Forest System to 16 U.S.C. 698v

July 25, 2000 be managed in accordance with the purposes and requirements of this title. 

Establishing a 20-year public-private experiment to operate the preserve without 9/30/2015

continued federal funding. The Trust is charged with achieving a number of 

goals, including becoming financially self-sustaining by the end of fiscal year 

2015

 NFS

Virginia Land This Act authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to sell or exchange all or part P.L. 105-171

Conveyance and of certain administrative sites and other lands in the George Washington 

Improvement Act National Forest and the Jefferson National Forest, and to use the value derived 

there from to acquire a replacement site and to construct on the site suitable 

improvements for national forest administrative purposes.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Authorities 15-40

Public Law, 

U.S.C., Appropriation 

Title Summary of Authority Expiration Affected

All

Watershed Appropriations for the Forest Service may be used by the Secretary of P.L. 105-277 

Restoration and Agriculture for the purpose of entering into cooperative agreements with P.L. 111-11 

Enhancement willing Federal, tribal, State and local governments, private and nonprofit Sec. 3001

Agreements entities and landowners for the protection, restoration and enhancement of fish 

and wildlife habitat, and other resources on public or private land, the reduction 16 U.S.C. 1011 

of risk from natural disaster where public safety is threatened, or a combination note

thereof or both that benefit these resources within the watershed.

NFS

Weeks Act of 1911, as Sections 1 and 2 authorize land acquisition for watershed protection and timber 16 U.S.C. 516, 521b

Amended production. This is one of the primary authorities for land acquisition with 

Land and Water Conservation Fund moneys.

NFS

Wild and Scenic Sections 6 and 16 authorize land acquisition, exchange, and donation of land for 16 U.S.C. 1277

Rivers Act of 1968, as inclusion in the Wild and Scenic River System.

Amended

NFS

Wilderness Act of Sections 5 and 6 provide authority for acquisition, exchange, and donation of 16 U.S.C. 1131

1964, as Amended land for inclusion in the Wilderness System.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Authorities 15-41

Public Law, 

U.S.C., Appropriation 

Title Summary of Authority Expiration Affected

Wildfire Suppression This Act authorizes reciprocal agreements with foreign fire organizations for P.L. 101-11

Act mutual aid in wildfire protection.

Youth and Together, the Public Lands Corps Act of 1993 and the Public Lands Corp P.L. 109-154

Conservation Corps Healthy Forest Restoration Act of 2005 provide for the conduct of projects that 16 U.S.C. 1701

Activities protect forests, and for other purposes by qualified youth or conservation 

corps up to $12 million per year.
FY 2013 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Authorities 15-42

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