On December 4, the USDA Forest Service announced a new policy affecting how the agency aligns monitoring, partnerships, and information-sharing efforts on national forests and grasslands. The goal of the new policy is to make timely, informed, science-based decisions to support adaptive management actions and gauge progress toward forest restoration, the effects of disturbance and climate on forests – such as the increasing frequency and intensity of wildfires, drought and floods – and to help people understand how forests are changing through time.

“Our forests are constantly changing. Monitoring is one way the Forest Service understands the impact of its decisions on our forests. This includes assessing the capability of critical infrastructure to withstand a rising number of high-intensity flood events, increases in recreation visitation, shifts in wildlife habitat use and movement, and changes in water quantity and quality. This policy is a key step in ensuring there is a consistent, evidence-based framework in place to support monitoring that drives strategic thinking and efficiencies for resource management decisions,” said Chris French, Deputy Chief for the National Forest System. “As we strive to manage lands in partnership with tribes, other federal agencies, and partners, a more universal, accessible monitoring policy is critical in fostering informed collaboration.”

The new Forest Service monitoring policy is in Forest Service Manual 2000: National Forest Resource Management, Chapter 2040: National Forest System Monitoring and is available on the Forest Service Directives webpage.