The evolving dream that a computer, directed by an infallible model, when fed an adequate diet of appropriately mixed and seasoned data will spew forth infallible answers is but an illusion. It always will be. Models and computers are but bloodless tools. They do not suffer the consequences of their shortcomings nor of their misuse. Distorted outputs inevitably results from tweaking several variables in the same direction in an interactive model.
Forest plans indicate, among many things, the intent to produce commodities at stated levels.
This leads the harvesters, processors, and users of those commodities to make economic decisions and social commitments. These projections exert profound influence on all present as well as future planning and resource-allocation exercises. Therefore, it is best for all concerned to be conservative in what is promised for the users. There is a tendency when optimistic projections of good and services are to be produced, to promise research or monitoring activities adequate to quickly detect if the results forecast are occurring. The offering of intense monitoring as a mitigation for a management action that has a high probability of adverse effects is wholly inappropriate use of monitoring.