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Forest Practices
Alaska Board of Forestry
The Alaska Board of Forestry advises the state on forest practices
issues and provides a forum for discussion and resolution of forest
management issues on state land. The board also reviews all proposed
changes to the Alaska Forest Resources and Practices Act and its regulations.
Board members are appointed by the governor for three-year terms, and
represent a variety of forest-related interests.
Board of Forestry Members
- Matthew A. Cronin, Ph.D., Fish/Wildlife Biology - Non-Governmental, Anchorage
- Jack Dimarchi, Mining Organization, Fairbanks
- Lawrence L. Hartig, Recreation, Anchorage
- Wayne Nicolls, Forester - Non-Governmental, Juneau
- Bill Oliver, Commercial Fishery, Kodiak
- Chris Maisch, Chair, State Forester, Fairbanks
- Rick Rogers, Forest Industry Trade Assn., Anchorage
- Richard Smeriglio, Environmental, Seward
- Ron Wolfe, Native Corporation, Juneau
Alaska Forest Resources and Practices Act
The Alaska Forest Resources and Practices Act (FRPA,
AS 41.17) (PDF) governs how timber harvesting, reforestation, and timber
access occur on state, private, and municipal land. Forest management
standards on federal land must also meet or exceed the standards for
state land established by the Act. The FRPA was originally adopted
in 1978. Major revisions were adopted in 1990 to address riparian management
on private land, enhance notification procedures for timber operations,
reorganize the Board of Forestry, and establish enforcement procedures.
Additional changes to the stream classification system and riparian
management standards for coastal forests (Region I) were adopted in
1999.In 2003, changes were made to address interior Alaskan (Region III)
riparian forest management standards. Currently, in 2004, a process is
underway to amend the southcentral (Region II) riparian forest management standards.
Purpose
The Act is designed to protect fish habitat and water quality, and
ensure prompt reforestation of forestland while providing for a healthy
timber industry. The FRPA ensures that both the timber and commercial
fishing industries can continue to provide long-term jobs.
Key provisions
The Act addresses these goals by:
- Requiring that landowners notify the state before beginning commercial
timber operations.
- Setting standards for forest management along waterbodies, including
buffers (see Table 1).
- Allowing for harvest of valuable, individual trees within buffers
when it can be done without harming fish habitat or water quality.
Harvest within buffers requires agency approval.
- Setting standards to prevent erosion into waterbodies.
- Requiring reforestation on all forest ownerships except where the
land will be converted to another use, or where the harvest area
is significantly composed of dead or dying trees.
Best management practices
Regulations (PDF) adopted under 11 AAC 95 also establish
best management practices for road construction and maintenance, and
for timber harvesting. These standards are designed to prevent adverse
impacts to fish habitat and water quality from timber operations.
The Division of Forestry has published a booklet called Implementing Best Management Practices for Timber Harvest Operations (PDF) that is used to ensure compliance with the Forest Resources and Practices
Act and Regulations.
Adopted Regulations Changes: Effective June 8, 2007
The Department of Natural Resources adopted and amended regulations in Title 11 of the Alaska Administrative Code, dealing with forest practices in riparian areas in Region II (Southcentral Alaska). These amendments include regulations associated with a new stream classification system under the Alaska Forest Resources and Practices Act for Region II [AS 41.17.116, AS 41.17.118, and AS 41.17.119]. The regulations changes are the culmination of a three-year process of the Region II Science and Technical Committee, Implementation Group, and Board of Forestry. Other changes to Title 11 created guidelines for winter roads and clarified the regulations.
Regions and applicability
Alaska is divided into three forest practices regions. Region I covers
coastal forests from Southeast Alaska through Prince William Sound,
the eastern Kenai Peninsula, the Kodiak Archipelago, and parts of the
Alaska Peninsula. Region II is the boreal forest south of the Alaska
Range. Region III is the boreal forest in Interior Alaska. Standards
for riparian management and reforestation vary by region.
The FRPA applies to commercial timber operations on forestland, including
harvesting, roading, site preparation, thinning, and slash treatment
operations on forestland. Operations must comply with the FRPA if they
are larger than 10 acres in Region I or larger than 40 acres in Region
II. In Region III, it applies to operations larger than 40 acres for
forest landowners that own more than 160 acres in total. All commercial
harvest operations that encompass or border surface waters or a riparian
area also must comply with the Act, regardless of their size.
Alaska Forest Resources & Practices Regions Map (PDF)
Stream Classification and Riparian Standards:
Summary Table of Statutes and Regulations (PDF)
Region II Riparian Standards
Review (PDF)
Region II Forest Resources & Practices Riparian Management Annotated
Bibliography, July 2004
Region II Science and Technical Committee—Stream Classification System
and Recommended Buffers May 26, 2004 (PDF)
Region III Forest Resources & Practices Riparian Management Annotated
Bibliography, August 2000
Monitoring the Effectiveness of the Forest Resources and Practices Act
The Alaska Forest Resources and Practices Act and Regulations contain
the best management practices (BMPs) that guide timber harvest on state
and private lands, including Native lands. While the Alaska Division of
Forestry already administers several programs that monitor compliance with
the Act, another key component to the Forest Practices Act is monitoring
the effectiveness of the Act [AS 41.17.047(d)]. How well does the Alaska
Forest Resources and Practices Act protect waterbodies and wildlife habitat?
The Alaska Division of Forestry compiled a summary report in 2003 (see
link, below) to provide a brief overview of effectiveness monitoring studies
conducted with respect to activities under the current Alaska Forest Resources
and Practices Act (FRPA). The report identifies gaps in knowledge about
the effectiveness of the Act. It does not contain a review of the broad
literature on riparian management, nor does it contain information on studies
done with respect to federal best management practices for national forest
land.
Summary of Monitoring Studies of the Effectiveness of Practices under
the Alaska Forest Resources and Practices Act, 1990-2002
An interagency group convened to prioritize future research on FRPA effectiveness
agreed that one of the priorities was a more extensive review of relevant
literature. While the summary report (above) includes research designed
to evaluate FRPA standards and best management practices, many other studies
have been conducted in Alaska and elsewhere that are relevant to effectiveness
monitoring of FRPA. The following bibliography includes sources that provide
a more complete picture of research and monitoring relevant to FRPA effectiveness
across the state. The bibliography includes research and monitoring reports
from Alaska and elsewhere that will help address the effectiveness of FRPA
in protecting fish habitat and water quality. The bibliography will be
used to help target future monitoring efforts to the most significant gaps
in information and the greatest risk for impacts to water quality and fish
habitat.
Relevant Literature for an Evaluation of the Effectiveness of the
Alaska Forest Resources and Practices Act: An Annotated Bibliography
Download entire document (PDF, 1.5 MB)
Contact Information
For more information on forest practices on state, municipal, Trust
or private land, contact:
Alaska Division of Forestry - State Land
550 West 7th Ave., Suite 1450
Anchorage, Alaska 99501-3566
907-269-8473
USDA Forest Service, State and Private Forestry - Federal Land
3301 C Street, Suite 202
Anchorage, Alaska 99503
907-743-9461
Acts, Regulations and Practices
The Department of Natural Resources provides these documents as a public courtesy.
The department cannot guarantee the absolute accuracy of these reproductions.
For the official published versions, please refer to the Alaska Statutes and Regulations
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