Microbial Processes > Long-Term Soil Productivity (LTSP) Study > Study Details: 3 - Justification

Evaluating Management Impacts on Long-Term Soil Productivity: A Research and National Forest System Cooperative Study

Justification

Our ability to maintain soil productive capacity faces increasing public challenge through Forest Land Management Plan (FLMP) and timber sale comments and appeals. Results from this cooperative study will provide creditable responses to these challenges, and will address related research needs identified in FLMP's across the Nation. Initially, existing soil quality monitoring standards will be compared with interim findings and can be adjusted to reflect the most recent research results. The fact that the Forest Service is aggressively addressing the problem shows "good faith" intentions, and should further alleviate challenges concerning soil productivity. More substantive information will be available to deal with the next round of planning.

All FLMP's require soil quality monitoring. Direction for monitoring and setting soil quality standards is provided in FSH 2509.18. Standards set in FLMP's are based on the best current information. Depending on location, however, this ranges from documented research to local observations. Where research information is lacking standards are based on professional judgment. Consequently, we need to verify the quality of our standards and tie them more closely with soil productivity. This study accomplishes both of these objectives.

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