Discussion 



During the past few years, pest epidemics and wildfire have in- 

 creased, particularly in western forests that have been altered 

 over several decades by past harvesting practices, successful fire 

 control, and other factors. Other areas in the West with the same 

 conditions are susceptible to damage, hi the East, the southern 

 pine beetle, European gypsy moth, and hardwood declines con- 

 tinue to be damaging. Introduced pests have become an increas- 

 ing concern. Three new introduced forest pests were discovered 

 in North America in the past 2 years. Some challenging forest 

 health problems are occurring in the urban-wildland interface. 



This plan, like the 1988 plan, responds to concerns of members 

 of Congress. Several congressional hearings were held in 1992 on 

 forest health or related issues. During the hearings, members of 

 Congress asked how the forests recently damaged by drought, 

 pest epidemics, and wildfires will be restored and how similar 

 damage will be prevented elsewhere. 



The strategic goals and actions in this plan support the new em- 

 phasis on ecosystem management in the National Forest System. 

 On national forests, forest health is integrated with other ecosys- 

 tem management considerations through the Forest Senice's 

 formal land management planning process, hi this 1993 plan, 

 a desired state of forest health is a condition where biodc and 

 abiotic influences on the forest (that is, pests, silvicultmal treat- 

 ments, han'esting practices) do not threaten resource manage- 

 ment objectives now or in the future. 



The Forest Sendee provides assistance to the States for forest fire 

 control, forest management, and forest health protection. The 

 strategic goals and actions in this plan will help strengthen Forest 

 Service cooperative programs and provide for better coordina- 

 tion and assistance on forest health problems. 



This plan outlines procechual actions that will lead to better inte- 

 gration of forest health considerations into agency planning and 

 decision making. It does not establish resource management 

 policy, goals, c^r objectives, or make resource management deci- 

 sions. Other concerns closely related to forest health, for exam- 

 ple, in protection of grasslands or wetlands, are not addressed in 

 this plan. These concerns are either being addressed through 

 existing policies or require separate analysis. 



Executive Summary 



