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In addition we would offer the following observations about the SAA: 



1) We concur with the view of the Southern Regional Office of the Forest Service 

 that there are ecological similarities among the National Forest in the Southern 

 Appalachians and that Plans for these Forest should reflect these similarities The 

 Assessment is providing common information, consistent definitions, and standard formats 

 for preparing revised Plans The Assessment should provide a framework into which 

 individual Plans will fit The Plans of neighboring Forests should be readily understood by 

 a reader familiar with one Forest Plan 



2) The Assessment became an interagency effort Other SAMAB agencies have 

 joined with the Forest Service on the Assessment teams, they bring resources and 

 perspectives which have improved this project One of the side benefits of the Assessment 

 is cooperation and communications among sister agencies. 



3) Cooperation within the Forest Service has been improved Cooperation and 

 communications have been fostered across Forest lines as well as up and down the 

 District/Supervisor/Regional chain of command. 



4) This generation of revised Plans will use Geographical Information Systems 

 (GIS) as a means of storing and displaying information about Forest resources. The 

 Southern Appalachian Assessment is providing the leadership to make this happen by 

 digitizing data, obtaining necessary hardware and software, training of personnel in the use 

 of GIS, and making the data from the Assessment widely available to the public. 



5) Gathering information on a regional level about basic information needed for 

 management of the Forests is far more efficient and economical if done at one time rather 

 than relying on each Forest planning staff to gather the information. 



6) The SAA has created a process by which the public can review basic Forest 

 Service data and provide corrections if necessary At the outset the Forest Service saw 

 the benefits of having the public review the data on which Forest plans and projects will be 

 based This constitutes a fundamental change from the older perspective of making public 

 access to data difficult The FS has just begun distribution of a set of five CD- ROMs 

 which contain the basic information used in the SAA. In July the general public will have 

 an opportunity to comment on the SAA information as part of the Notice of Intent. 

 Updates on information will be available through the Forest Service home page on the 

 Internet. 



7) The Assessment is an important training ground for future leaders within the 

 Forest Service. 



Again, Mr Chairman, I thank you for the opportunity to appear before you to present our 

 views I welcome your questions about our testimony 



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