In addition, Forest Service policy and planning officials believe that differences among the requirements and limitations in laws and regulations can sometimes be difficult to reconcile, and that reconciliation is further complicated by the fragmentation of authority for implementing these laws and regulations among several federal agencies and the states. Reducing the Influence of Subsequent Events

In addition, according to some Forest Service officials, events that occur after forest plans have been approved can significantly affect the agency’s ability to provide a high degree of confidence concerning the future availability of uses on national forest lands. Additionally, the Forest Service and other federal agencies recently have signed various memoranda of agreement to improve coordination. By establishing participation as a condition for appealing a decision, this change might increase public participation in the Forest Service’s project-level decisionmaking process. As a result, some Forest Service officials have suggested that the Congress needs to provide greater guidance on how the agency is to balance competing uses. In particular, the Chief has stated that (1) the maintenance and restoration of noncommodity uses, especially biological diversity, needs to be explicitly accepted or rejected and (2) if accepted, its effects on the availability of commodity uses should be acknowledged.
Why GAO Did This Study

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO provided information on the Forest Service's management of national forests, focusing on the issues related to multiple use of forest land.

What GAO Found

GAO noted that: (1) the Forest Service's decisions are affected by changing natural land conditions, funding, and new information and events; (2) laws concerning forest land use are complicated by fragmented authority between federal agencies and states; (3) the Forest Service should consider shortening the periods covered under forest plans, reducing the influence of subsequent events, improving the data on which decisions are based, increasing coordination among the Forest Service and other federal agencies, and limiting administrative appeals; (4) some Forest Service officials believe that Congress should provide guidance on how to balance competing uses of forest land; and (5) the Chief of the Forest Service believes that the maintenance and restoration of noncommodity uses should be explicitly accepted or rejected, and if accepted, the effects should be acknowledged.