APPENDIX D— THE NATIONAL FOREST HEALTH MONITORING PROGRAM 



The national Forest Health Monitoring Program (often abbreviated as FHM) began in 1990 

 in 10 northeastern states. It was a cooperative effort between the USDA Forest Service, the 

 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), state forestry agencies, and the National Asso- 

 ciation of State Foresters. Today, cooperators also include the U.S. Department of the Interior's 

 Bureau of Land Management, Fish and Wildlife Service, and National Park Service; the USDA 

 National Resource Conservation Service; and state forestry organizations in eight additional 

 states. The main objectives of this program are to determine the status, trends, and condition 

 of forests nationwide. 



The national Forest Health Monitoring West Coast Administrative Region includes Califor- 

 nia, Hawaii, and Alaska plus Oregon and Washington. Operational field work began in Califor- 

 nia in 1992 when 55 forested plots were measured across the state. A different set of about 50 

 forested plots were measured yearly from 1993 to 1995. This complete 4-year set of data com- 

 prises the baseline condition for California forests. Each baseline year is a separate estimate 

 of forest conditions in the state. Remeasurement of California plots began in 1996. Another 

 field effort in the West Coast region was a pilot study for western Oregon and Washington 

 (described in chapter 5), in which 25 plots in Douglas-fir habitat were measured. Baseline 

 plots in Oregon and Washington will be established in 1997. 



Forest Health Monitoring Regions 



Hawaii 



endix D — 01 



