• Make appropriate improvements in forest health monitor- 

 ing and increase coordination with Canada, Mexico, and 

 European countries. In cooperation with the State 

 Foresters, continue to enhance the monitoring pro- 

 gram as new indicators are developed. Coordinate 

 with existing Canadian and Etuopean monitoring 

 programs and work to develop others. 



Forest Health Restoration 



GOAL 



Those forests that have suffered recent severe mortali- 

 ty from drought, pests, and wildfire are eventually 

 restored to sustainable and productive condition, 

 and other forests highly susceptible to this same kind 

 of event are treated to avert similar damage. 



RATIONALE 



Fire control and other management practices in the past have 

 greatly altered the character of the Nation's forests and in many 

 cases have created conditions highly susceptible to drought, 

 pests, and wildfire. A combination of an extended drought, pest 

 epidemics, and wildfire has recently brought attention to the 

 fragility of western forest ecosystems and the need for future 

 management to be more sensitive to the ecology of these forests. 

 Even though the same or similar conditions exist throughout 

 much of the Intermountain West and California, restoration 

 strategies have not been developed except for a few limited areas, 

 and it has not been possible to formulate a well-coordinated bud- 

 get proposal. There vwll be a strong tendency to focus restoration 

 efforts only on those forests where damage has already occurred, 

 rather than on similar forests where the same underlying condi- 

 tions exist and actions taken now could avert future damage. 



Many forests probably will not restore themselves in a timely man- 

 ner and thus would benefit from active management. However, 

 active restoration still would require several decades. Where eco- 

 nomically justified, pest suppression can be an appropriate mea- 

 sure to save stands until silvicultural practices can be applied. 



Because restoration strategies will involve manipulation of vegeta- 

 tion as well as other management measures, they may be contro- 



34 Strategic Goals and Actions 



