A look at the problems -

and a search for solutions

APALACHICOLA NATIONAL FOREST Timber Resource Management

This presentation is prompted by conditions now existing on

National Forests, both nation-wide and locally.

My hope is that it will be useful in bringing about

changes needed to help restore our National Forests to full

productivity and to better serve the public by meeting

forest-dependent citizens’ basic needs for jobs, community

and family stability, adequate K-12 education, and

solvent local government: needs that are not being met by

current federal land management. April,2015

W.V. (Mac) McConnell

Land Use Planner, Forester

U.S. Forest Service, Retired

The National Situation

The Apalachicola Situation

Problems: Local issues (being addressed by the Forest)

• Over-planning and over-analysis

• Imbalance between timber and other resources

• Inefficient use of human resources

• Non-management of 81,000 acres of bottomland hardwood

Problems: Congressional and Agency Actions

• Under-funding (federal budgeting process ,“targets” )

• Over-regulation: labyrinth of laws, regulations, exec. orders, court decisions (often conflicting)

• Diversion of resource funding to fire control

Top-down management (over-control)

Emphasis on other resources

Failure to aggressively advise the Congress and the public of changing conditions and their consequences.

Result:

Virtual non-management Of the timber resource.

Failure to manage has consequences Impacts on Liberty County Schools

(25% of forest revenues are returned to counties and schools)

• Increased the average class size & student-teacher ratio.

• Reduced school district staffing by seven positions.

• Eliminated Advanced Placement (AP) courses at the high school level.

• Eliminated certified art & music teachers from elementary and secondary school staffs.

• Reduced Career, Technical, and Educational (CTE) programs

• Discontinued the enrichment programs. (More)

Consequences Schools

• Delayed implementation of 1:1 technology initiative.

• Curtailed school media center’s operation.

• Reduced Early Childhood programs.

• Forced consolidation of bus routes

• Potential elimination of bus monitors.

• Limited transportation purchases.

• Discontinued field trips & limited extra-curricular programs.

• Imposed 1.5% capital improvement tax and ½ cent sales tax

Failure to manage has consequences Impacts on local government

(County maintains 40 miles of dirt and 58 miles of paved roads that serve the National Forest.)

Road crew reduced from 23 to 20 Unable to replace obsolete equipment Funds not available to repair FH 13 bridge Forced to initiate 1% local option tax. Imposed 7 cent per gallon gas tax Curtailed hours of Sheriff’s office Curtailed Emergency Medical Services

Failure to manage has consequences Impacts on National Forest resources

Increasing stand densities = Lowered tree vigor. Vulnerability to fire, insects, disease. Higher mortality rate. Lessened production of quality wood. Poorer endangered red cockaded woodpecker

habitat. Poorer wildlife habitat. Decreased water yield (increased transpiration

& rainfall interception)

We are now harvesting 4.0% of the net annual growth and 25.7% of the allowable cut

What if -- we harvested the Allowable Sale Quantity (ASQ) = Allowable Cut (3.5 MMCF or 13% of current gross annual growth)?

The additional cut of 2.6 million cubic feet would mean:

A 290 % increase over current cut. Timber revenues increase from ~$460 K to

~$1,800 K 25% timber returns increase - from ~$115 K to ~$450K

(More)

Harvesting the allowable cut of 3.5 MMCF annually

would mean:

360 timber-related jobs area-wide (13 Florida and Georgia counties) 65 25% receipts-related jobs in 4 National Forest Counties 425 total jobs

315 NEW JOBS AND $12 MILLION ADDED INCOME.

Let’s look at some options.

Where will the money come from

Cost to prepare and administer a timber sale

(N.F.s in Florida 2009-11) ~$33 per ccf.

Sales revenues (ex stewardship) ~$51 per ccf

FUNDING

BASIC PREMISE: Congress will never, ever appropriate sufficient funds to properly manage our National Forests.

How can we fund our timber sale program at the level needed to meet the needs of the resource, the communities, the schools, local governments, the industry? Some supplemental funding already exists. (Stewardship programs, KV, roads, slash disposal)

FUNDING - Alternatives

• Transfer non-reserved N.F. lands to states.* • Transfer selected (timber) lands to an

Independent Public Trust.* * Probability near-zero under present political conditions.

• Reauthorize Secure Rural Schools Act A stop-gap measure to support counties & schools while a permanent solution is initiated

FUNDING – a preferred alternative Timber Program Self-financing (Basics)

Revenues from sale of forest products are not deposited in U.S. Treasury but are used by forest to finance timber program

>25% of timber sale receipts to Counties & Schools

Now being used successfully on DOD lands. (Title 10, USC 2665.)

A powerful incentive for efficient and productive management

Enabling legislation necessary Transition funding needed

SUGGESTED ACTION-

Local interests ask local Forest Service to join with them in requesting that-

the Forest Service’s Washington Office work with legislators and their staffs to-

reauthorize the Secure Rural Schools Act.

develop legislation authorizing selected National Forests to test the feasibility of Timber Program Self Financing.

Florida Congressional Districts with significant N.F. Acreage District Counties Acres Representative 2 Franklin, Leon, 567,000 Gwen Graham (D) Liberty, Wakulla 3 Columbia, Lake, 363,600 Ted Yoho (R) Marion, Putnam 4 Baker, Hamilton 121,800 Ander Crenshaw (R) 8 Lake, Marion 124,100 Bill Posey (R)

In Summary – Forest is now cutting 4.0% of its net annual growth

and 25.7% of its allowable cut. With grave environmental, social, and economic

consequences Under-funding is the primary cause Forest is taking local action Congressional action required for solution

Needed Action – Reauthorize the Secure Rural Schools Act. Develop legislation authorizing Timber

Program Self-Financing.

Thank you --

For your interest.

Questions, Comments, Discussion