Management and conservation approaches in protected federal lands

Allegheny Management

Issues in the Ownership and Management of Protected Areas: The Allegheny National Forest Management Plan

The Allegheny Plateau, which stretches form western New York, through much of Pennsylvania and parts of Ohio, and extends as far south as Kentucky, was the focus of the Forest Service and the Organic Act of 1897, which put forth the National Forest mission of the preservation and protection of the nation's forests and forested lands and waterways (FS 2011). The Allegheny National Forest is a federally protected and managed area on this plateau located primarily within Pennsylvania, and ongoing environmental, social, and economic issues have made the management of this particular National Forest particularly controversial and complex in some regards (FS 2011; Hopey 2006; Senecah et al. 2003). Though making this more burdensome for the Forest Service, the complexities and issues in the management of the Allegheny National Forest make it an excellent case study for land management.

Ownership and Management Philosophy

Like most National Forests managed by the Forest Service, there are diverse needs and uses for the land and resources of the Allegheny National Forest that must be effectively and fairly managed. Visitors to the forest appreciate its natural beauty and the diversity of wildlife that resides there, environmental groups point to both intrinsic and extrinsic values that are inherent to the forest itself, and several industries also depend on various resources within the boundaries of the forest (FS 2011). All of these needs must be supported by management philosophies and actions.

The stated mission of the National Forest Service is, "to improve the forest, provide favorable conditions for water flows, and furnish a continuous supply of wood to meet people's needs" (FS 2011). This reflects the central need to balance the concerns of all stakeholders in the Allegheny National Forest even when these needs may seem at odds with each other. Allowing for the continued economic viability and relevance of the forest is one of the central means of protecting the forest environmentally and aesthetically speaking, and meanwhile ensuring the environmental stability of the forest is essential to ensuring ongoing timber supplies and other resources will be accessible (FS 2011; Senecah et al. 2003). Essentially, the overall management and ownership philosophy of the Forest Service in regards to the Allegheny is to ensure the sustainability of all current uses of the forest (FS 2011).

Primary Management Issues

Despite this attempt at the overall sustainability of the Allegheny National Forest, there have of course been certain issues with the management of the forest that have made it impossible to avoid conflict. The various planners and managers that have been in charge of directly managing access to the forest and the use of its resources have been the target of many criticisms and are under pressure from a variety of groups (Hopey 2006). The Forest Service as a whole has also been the target of similar criticism, and the ability to effectively and proactively address these criticisms and pressures without losing sight of the balance that is required for overall sustainability is key to successful management of the land (Senecah et al. 2003).

Specific issues that have been faced in the management of the Allegheny National Forest include disputes regarding the threats posed by oil and natural gas drilling, the need to balance timber sales with wildlife and ecosystem preservation, regulating and collecting revenue from timber, oil, and gas companies when there is little oversight to accomplish this, and a variety of other economic and environmental issues (Hopey 2006). One of the most complex and pressing management issues that the Forest Service must deal with on a daily basis in the Allegheny National Forest is that of access to visitors. The park is open to cars in certain places, and also has trails that are open for horseback riding, hikers, snowmobiles, and certain other modes of transportation, and proponents or enthusiasts of each type transportation and conveyance have felt under-served, taken advantage of, or turned into scapegoats at various points in the forest's development and management (Senecah et al. 2003; Hopet 2006).

Primary Management Problems

The problems that have been faced in the management of the Allegheny National Forest stem directly from the management issues the park has faced. There have been questions regarding the legality of certain large-scale industrial practices taking place in the forest, and the Forest Service has had to contend with protests and interruptions of such activities as well as ensure the safety of the protestors and visitors during these periods (Hopey 2006; FS 2011). Maintaining a peaceful yet open dialogue with all concerned parties and citizens has proven to be a problem at times that management has had to contend with.

The actual management of the physical resources present in the Allegheney National Forest has also proved somewhat problematic, as the Forest Service does not have truly adequate funding or personnel to accurately track resources and the rates at which they are being used (FS 2011). Obtaining accurate data from companies that utilize these resources has also proven difficult, according to some, which provides a further drain on the resources of the Forest Service and makes the exact issues and problems facing the Allegheny National Forest unclear (Hopey 2006; FS 2011). Adequate growth in the forest must be maintained in order to offset deforestation due to timber retrieval from the fort, but without an accurate accounting of what is being removed it is impossible to ensure that enough is being replaced (Senecah et al. 2003). This goes right to the heart of the overriding management philosophy employed by the Forest Service that emphasizes sustainability.

Types of Products Extracted

The primary product that is extracted form the Allegheny National Forest is timber; this plateau remains a highly forested area and has been used as a timber resource for many centuries (FS 2011). The Forest Service was established specifically to maintain the nation's timber lands, ensuring that they would be able to provide sufficient quantities of timber to supply the country's growth in perpetuity (FS 2011). It is thus easy to understand that timber is the primary good that is extracted from this forest, and timber level is one of the primary areas of management concern for the Allegheny National Forest, as well.