Service-Wide Issuances

In general, national level administrators have authority to issue most service-wide directives for programs within their jurisdiction. The following table summarizes these service-wide issuances concerning NTFPs in both the FSM and the FSH. (Table: National Level Direction from the Forest Service Manual (FSM) and Handbook (FSH) concerning NTFPs)

In 1991, the Washington office issued an amendment to the FSM that established the authority for the sale of other forest products from national forests, where it will "serve local needs and meet land management objectives" (USDA Forest Service 1991a, section 2467.02). The amendment directs national forests to use management practices that perpetuate or increase NTFP production within the objectives, standards and guidelines of forest plans, and to recover fair market value for such products. Further, it directs Regional Foresters to develop valuation and sale procedures.

In 1995, a service-wide manual directive was issued that placed additional responsibility onto Forest Supervisors to operate NTFP sales efficiently and to coordinate sales with other Federal or State agencies (USDA Forest Service 1995a). Four years later, amendment 2400-99-2 to the FSM delegated the authority through management levels, to sell and dispose of special forest products (USDA Forest Service 1999a).

The most comprehensive coverage of NTFP management is in Handbook amendment 2409.18-91-3 (USDA Forest Service 1991b). This amendment provides direction on a variety of NTFPs, including firewood, naval stores, pine distillate wood, Christmas trees, and tropical forest products. Section 87 provides guidance on management of naval stores and directs Forest Service staffers to use only trees selected for timber harvest and only in stands selected for regeneration. Extraction of naval stores, which are considered a byproduct of sawtimber, is restricted to minimize damage and loss of timber products. Section 87 also recognizes that naval stores extraction may increase the potential for damage to the stand from fire, and directs prescribed burning before sales are finalized.

Forest Service staffers are provided direction to sell stumps and top wood that are left behind after the harvesting of longleaf and other pines as pine distillate wood, and are provided guidance on the unit of measure as well as appraisal methods. Subsection 87.4 provides procedures for the selling of Christmas trees and boughs, which must be cut in accordance with silvicultural prescriptions that are established prior to the sale. Forest Service staffers are directed to manage areas exclusively for Christmas trees, when possible, and to comply with the standards and guidelines of the forest plan. Subsection 87.6 provides direction for the sale of tropical NTFPs from the Caribbean National Forest. Managers are provided direction on disposal of these products to nearby residents through free-use permits, and on appraisal methods and units of measure for some products.

The following table summarizes the direction for more than 20 saleable products, listed in subsection 87.71 of amendment 2409.18-91-3 (USDA Forest Service 1991b) (Table: Saleable products identified in the Forest Service Handbook). The basic direction that guides the overall extraction of these products is to ensure that collection on national forests complies with state and federal laws for the protection of plant and animal materials. Forest Service staffers are provided adequate direction for the extraction and sale of some products, such as cones and seedlings, but no direction is provided for mushrooms, lichens, galax, or medicinal roots, even though they are included in the list of saleable products.

The collection of NTFPs is monitored through a permit system that allows for either free or fee use. In 1999, the Washington Office provided additional Handbook direction on the use of the permit form FS-2400-1 (USDA Forest Service 1999b). This amendment clearly presents the types of contracts and permits needed for different transactions. In situations where there is a charge for NTFPs, Forest Service staff are directed to use Form FS-2400-1. For nonconvertible forest products with low value sales, they are directed to use Form FS-2400-4.

References

• Additional NTFP References