Task D Findings and Recommendations
D1 Finding
Recommendation ■ Training, education, and mentoring programs targeted at timber sales management need to be implemented at the BIA and tribes at all levels. ■ The BIA needs to expand the capacity and availability of its National Timber Team to provide increased assistance to agencies and tribes in all aspects of timber sale preparation. ■ Funding for both BIA and tribal forestry programs needs to increase to support fully staffing of the timber sale program (see Task A). Recommendation Increase the use of current technologies and processes to implement timber sales. ■ Increase the use of virtual boundaries to delineate sale area boundaries, reducing the cost of traversing sales. Evaluate if the Forest Service and State sales preparation handbooks would be useful for guidelines. ■ Increase the use of common silvicultural
Tribes are finding it difficult to complete timber sales due to the lack of qualified personnel.
D2 Finding
Modern technologies and processes are not being fully utilized by many tribes, leading to sale preparation costs being higher than necessary. ■ Many timber sale programs continue to lay out, cruise, and mark timber sales by hand. ■ Use of GIS and GPS software is common, but not to the fullest extent.
practices such as Designation by Prescription and Designation by Description. Evaluate if the Forest
Service and State silvicultural practices handbooks would be useful for guides on implementation. ■ Increase training for timber sale personnel in the use of these software technologies.
D3 Finding
Recommendation ■ Current processes utilized by Interdisciplinary teams to develop environmental assessments need
Current processes for BIA environmental assessments and decision making for timber sales are causing significant delays.
improvements with guidelines for using independent peer reviewed data and streamlining the process with deadlines and action items addressing environmental performance. ■ Evaluate innovative tribal management programs that are in place and implemented. ■ Assist contract/compact tribes to develop their own standards. ■ Evaluate and recognize successful tribal programs where wildlife responds to timber management. ■ Expand the ITARA demonstration project.
112 Assessment of Indian Forests and Forest Management in the United States
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