276 





IV 



AF&PA Public Poucy Goals for Sustainable Forestry 

 ON Au Private and Pubuc Land in the United States 



1. Increase Forest Growth, Quality, Dtveisity and 

 Productivity by Practicing Sustainable Forestry. 



AF&PA members will suppon a nacionaJ goal of 

 sustainable forestry which seeks to increase growth 

 and timber quality of all forests, so that the volume 

 and quality of domestic timber resources available are 

 adequate to meet pubUc needs now and in the fiiture. 

 To accompUsh this goal, AF&PA members will 

 continue to: (a) increase the productivity of the 

 forests they own and manage; (b) encotu^e the 

 establishment of forests on marginal agricultural lands 

 that could more profitably be managed for forestry; 

 (c) work with the Forest Service and state agencies to 

 strengthen growth, productivity, and timber quality 

 monitoring programs; and (d) support federal, state, 

 and local programs and policies that encourage 

 retention and expansion of the productive foresdand 

 base and promote long-term forestry investment. 



2. Help to Implement Appropriate Ecosystem 

 Management on Federal Lands. AF&PA members 

 will work with Congress and public agencies to 

 appropriately define and implement active ecosystem 

 management on all National Forest System and 

 Bureau of Land Management lands. This will 

 improve the consistency of land management deci- 

 sion-making and help to accomplish land manage- 

 ment goals. To be effective, this effort must include 

 improved accoimtability for meeting goals. Priority 

 attention should be given to public lands with forest 

 health problems. 



3. Reduce the Risk and Occurrence ofWildfires. 



AF&PA members will support forest fire protection 

 programs to minimize losses from wildfire. AF&PA 

 members will use on their lands, and promote on all 

 other lands, appropriate methods, including pre- 

 scribed fire, to reduce forest fiiels, improve i^enera- 

 tion success and wildlife habitat, and minimize the 

 potential for catastrophic wildfire. When prescribed 

 fire is used, sound smoke management guidelines and 

 regulations will be followed. 



4. Promote and Utilize Int^rated Pest ManagemenL 



AF&PA members will use on their lands, and pro- 

 mote on all other lands, the principles of integrated 

 pest management in the selection and implementa- 

 tion of pest control programs, including the selective 

 and safe use of pesticides. 



5. Encourage Forest Health and Productivity 

 Research. AF&PA members will support research to 

 minimize wildfire, pests, diseases, and other damaging ' 

 agents affecting U.S. forests. AF&PA members will i 

 encourage research and will monitor the work of other I 

 scientists studying the potential impact of climate ' 

 change, atmospheric pollution, and the cumulative | 

 effects on forest health and productivity. i 



6. Encourage Continuing Education. AF&PA 

 members will suppon continuing professional ' 

 education in state-of-the-art techniques to integrate | 

 the management of all forest resources. AF&PA ; 

 members will inform all employees involved in forest ! 

 management of their company's plans, policies, and ' 

 programs to implement the AF&PA Sustainable ! 

 Forestry Principles and Implementation Guidelines. 



7. Recognize Excellence. AF&PA members will j 

 recognize and promote excellence to improve envi- i 

 ronmental performance by those engaged in forestry 1 

 operations. 



8. Protect the Ability of All Private Landowners to i 

 Manage their Foresdand in a Sustainable Manner. 



AF&PA members will work with Congress, state ' 



legislatures, and federal, state, and local agencies to I 



ensiue that laws, relations, tax strucmres, and policies i 



promote, rather than compromise, the ability of private 1 



landowners to sustainably manage their foresdand. \ 



J 



