§6703 — Title 16 Conservation | U.S. Code

Summary

Defines key words used in the chapter. "Adaptive ecosystem management" is a way to manage natural resources that uses planning, action, monitoring, research, and new knowledge together; it relies on science and society’s needs, treats actions like experiments, accepts complexity and uncertainty, and changes future management based on what is learned. "Affected entities" includes land managers, stakeholders, concerned citizens, and the interior West states and their political subdivisions. "Dry forest and woodland ecosystem" means forests mainly made up of ponderosa pines and similar types. "Institute" means the Institute set up under section 6704(a). "Interior West" means Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah. "Land manager" means a person or group that directs natural resource management and includes Federal, State, local, or tribal agencies. "Restoration" means work to move an area toward a healthy, sustainable structure or conditions that support native species and natural processes (for example, low-intensity fire). "Secretary" means the Secretary of Agriculture through the Forest Service Chief. "Secretaries" means that person and the Secretary of the Interior. "Stakeholder" means anyone interested in or affected by forest or woodland management. The chapter also defines smaller understory trees, conditions where tree numbers exceed a site’s natural capacity, and the system’s ability to absorb disturbance without shifting to a different stable state.

Title 16, §6703

Conservation — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

In this chapter:

(1)(A)The term “adaptive ecosystem management” means a natural resource management process under which planning, implementation, monitoring, research, evaluation, and incorporation of new knowledge are combined into a management approach that—

(i)is based on scientific findings and the needs of society;

(ii)treats management actions as experiments;

(iii)acknowledges the complexity of these systems and scientific uncertainty; and

(iv)uses the resulting new knowledge to modify future management methods and policy.

(B)This paragraph shall not define the term “adaptive ecosystem management” for the purposes of the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974 (16 U.S.C. 1600 et seq.).

(2)The term “affected entities” includes—

(A)land managers;

(B)stakeholders;

(C)concerned citizens; and

(D)the States of the interior West, including political subdivisions of the States.

(3)The term “dry forest and woodland ecosystem” means an ecosystem that is dominated by ponderosa pines and associated dry forest and woodland types.

(4)The term “Institute” means an Institute established under section 6704(a) of this title.

(5)The term “interior West” means the States of Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah.

(6)(A)The term “land manager” means a person or entity that practices or guides natural resource management.

(B)The term “land manager” includes a Federal, State, local, or tribal land management agency.

(7)The term “restoration” means a process undertaken to move an ecosystem or habitat toward—

(A)a sustainable structure of the ecosystem or habitat; or

(B)a condition that supports a natural complement of species, natural function, or ecological process (such as a low-intensity fire).

(8)The term “Secretary” means the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest Service.

(9)The term “Secretaries” means—

(A)the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest Service; and

(B)the Secretary of the Interior.

(10)The term “stakeholder” means any person interested in or affected by management of forest or woodland ecosystems.

(11)Are trees that occur underneath the canopy or extend into the canopy but are smaller and less vigorous than dominant trees.

(12)Where the number of trees per acre exceeds the natural carrying capacity of the site.

(13)The ability of a system to absorb disturbance without being pushed into a different, possibly less desirable stable state.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

The Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974, referred to in par. (1)(B), is Pub. L. 93–378, Aug. 17, 1974, 88 Stat. 476, which is classified generally to subchapter I (§ 1600 et seq.) of chapter 36 of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see

Short Title

note set out under section 1600 of this title and Tables.

§6703 Definitions