Performance Details

Department of Natural Resources - Forest Management and Development

• Return to Departments
• Department of Natural Resources website

Mission

To provide a sustainable supply of forest resources to Alaskans.

Core Services

• Provide technical and financial forestry assistance to diverse landowners and managers through cost-effective non-regulatory partnerships.
• Provide state timber to meet local demand within the limit of sustainable supply.
• Ensure compliance with the Alaska Forest Resources & Practices Act (FRPA) on state, municipal and private lands.

Mission Results

Core Services

A: Provide stable or increasing economic and environmental benefits from the use of trees and forests.  Details > TARGET #1: Provide stable or increasing economic benefit from the use of trees and forests on state land by selling state timber to twenty or more Alaskan businesses. TARGET #2: Environmental benefit: 100% of Alaskan waterbodies are in compliance with the Department of Environmental Conservation's (DEC) impaired waters standards as a result of forest operations conducted on lands administered under the FRPA.

A1: Provide technical and financial forestry assistance to diverse landowners and managers through cost-effective non-regulatory partnerships.  Details > A2: Provide state timber to meet local demand within the limit of sustainable supply.  Details > TARGET #1: Provide Alaskan firms in Southern Southeast Alaska with the maximum volume of state timber sustainably available. TARGET #2: Provide Alaskan firms outside of Southern Southeast Alaska with supply that meets demand. A3: Ensure compliance with the Alaska Forest Resources & Practices Act (FRPA) on state, municipal and private lands.  Details > TARGET #1: Operate the Forest Resources and Practices Act program to achieve 100% implementation of Best Management Practices (BMPs).

Performance Detail

Target #1: Provide stable or increasing economic benefit from the use of trees and forests on state land by selling state timber to twenty or more Alaskan businesses. Methodology: Division of Forestry Alaskan Firms Purchasing State Timber Sales Fiscal Year YTD Total FY 2020 24 FY 2019 25 FY 2018 21 FY 2017 21 FY 2016 27 FY 2015 26 FY 2014 34 FY 2013 35 FY 2012 40 FY 2011 42 FY 2010 51 Analysis of results and challenges: The number of purchasers of state timber sales has stabilized after a sharp drop (28%) during the 2010 to 2014 time period and has stabilized for the past six years in the mid-twenties. In Southeast the number of firms purchasing state timber sales has declined dramatically due to a number or reasons, but the primary factor is the lack of a consistent federal timber supply from the Tongass National Forest (TNF). The Division has been engaged in number of ways to help improve this situation, including administering two Good Neighbor Authority (GNA) timber sale projects on the TNF in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service. State timber supply continues to be critical to the remaining purchasers in southeast, particularly the Viking Lumber mill in Klawock, the last remaining mid-sized mill. Commercial sawlog demand in Southcentral has fallen dramatically due to the spruce bark beetle outbreak and the amount of wood available to mills from private landowners. In the Interior, demand remains steady, however, the commercial firewood market has shrunk and consequently the number of firms participating has decreased. There were 31 new timber sales sold to 24 Alaskan firms in FY2020 and there are currently 41 firms with active timber sale contracts throughout Alaska, mostly smaller fuel wood sellers in the interior.

Target #2: Environmental benefit: 100% of Alaskan waterbodies are in compliance with the Department of Environmental Conservation's (DEC) impaired waters standards as a result of forest operations conducted on lands administered under the FRPA. Methodology: FRPA data compiled based on calendar year Percentage of Waterbodies in Compliance with DEC "Impaired Waters" Standards Year Quarter 1 Quarter 2 Quarter 3 Quarter 4 YTD Total 2019 0 0 0 0 100% 2018 0 0 0 0 100% 2017 0 0 0 0 100% 2016 0 0 0 0 100% 2015 0 0 0 0 100% 2014 0 0 0 0 100% 2013 0 0 0 0 100% 2012 0 0 0 0 100% 2011 0 0 0 0 100% 2010 0 0 0 0 100% 2009 0 0 0 0 100% Analysis of results and challenges: The Alaska Forest Resources & Practices Act (FRPA) continues to ensure that forest operations protect water quality and fish habitat. The list of impaired waterbodies identifies waters that do not meet state water quality standards, including standards for beneficial use for fish habitat. No waterbodies are listed as impaired due to operations subject to FRPA standards.

Target #1: Provide Alaskan firms in Southern Southeast Alaska with the maximum volume of state timber sustainably available. Analysis of results and challenges: Year 2020 saw less volume sold with the State. The Ketchikan office continues to experience staffing challenges as a result of 2016 reductions and challenges with attracting qualified foresters to the region. Notable milestones and challenges are as follows: 1. Through the state's first Good Neighbor agreement with the Alaska Region of the USFS, Forestry is currently administering the contracts on 32,000MBF of timber on two separate timber sales on USFS lands. 2. The Ketchikan office continues to be our highest revenue producing office, selling the vast majority of the annual timber volume statewide with 13,000MBF of state timber under contract. 3. Forestry reclassified a Forester III position and moved its duty station to Ketchikan. In an effort to attract more candidates to current openings, along with developing promotional opportunity. These positions have had high turnover rates and are hard to fill. 4. There are six timber sales on state land currently under development. The Ketchikan office continues to leverage contractor and industry partnerships to assist in sale planning and development. 5. The southern southeast inventory and associated annual allowable harvest was updated this past year based upon the new inventory, and availability of LIDAR (light detection and ranging) imagery. 6. The reduction in harvested state timber volume in Southeast for 2020 is due to recent staffing vacancies in the Ketchikan office, in addition to staff spending time on bringing timber to market through the Good Neighbor program.

Target #2: Provide Alaskan firms outside of Southern Southeast Alaska with supply that meets demand. Timber Sale Program, Outside Southern Southeast Alaska: Displayed as Thousand Board Feet Offered and Sold per Fiscal Year Fiscal Year Offered Sold FY 2020 2,331 2,331 FY 2019 2,551 2,551 FY 2018 3,304 3,304 FY 2017 3,435 3,435 FY 2016 6,672 6,393 FY 2015 16,060 15,027 FY 2014 20,405 20,405 FY 2013 4,272 4,272 FY 2012 10,314 9,238 FY 2011 37,146 11,572 FY 2010 26,830 8,379 FY 2009 28,885 13,255 Analysis of results and challenges: The division continues to work on supporting, developing new opportunities, and maintaining the flow of timber to support the existing industry outside Southern Southeast Alaska. The saw log demand remains stable while the firewood and biomass industry in Interior Alaska has shrunken slightly due to lower oil prices. Although the biomass mills in North Pole, Tok and Fairbanks continue to produce wood pellets, pellet logs and kiln dried firewood, they distribute their products though-out Alaska. The Fairbanks-Delta office is our highest revenue and volume producing office outside of Southern Southeast Alaska and historically provides 70% or more of timber in the interior. Past volume offered in previous fiscal years but not sold will remain for sale over the counter at each area office. Spruce Beetle kill in the Matanuska-Susitna Valley has flooded local markets and decreased local demand for commercial firewood sales.

Target #1: Operate the Forest Resources and Practices Act program to achieve 100% implementation of Best Management Practices (BMPs). Methodology: BMP implementation compliance is measured as the percentage of BMPs rated four or higher out of a perfect score of five in field inspections of forest operations. *FRPA data compiled based on Calendar Year. Forest Resources & Practices Act Program: Displayed as the Rating of Best Management Practices Implementation by Region per Year Year Coastal Southcentral Interior 2019 90% 93% 94% 2018 93% 93% 85% 2017 97% 93% 100% 2016 93% 99% 99% 2015 97% 97% 94% 2014 96% 93% 85% 2013 96% 98% 80% 2012 98% 98% 92% 2011 100% 90% 91% 2010 95% 100% 93% 2009 92% 100% 70% 2008 95% 98% 92% Analysis of results and challenges: BMPs are designed to prevent adverse impacts from forest operations on fish habitat and water quality, and to ensure prompt reforestation following harvest. Compliance with the BMPs is high statewide. Decreased scores in the interior reflect record rains in the summer of 2018 which damaged forest roads in the Tanana Valley State Forest. The lower score in southcentral for 2017 is confined to BMPs addressing road construction and road maintenance. The division uses compliance monitoring results to identify training needs. Training emphasizes specific BMPs with relatively low ratings and targets operators with a history of compliance issues. BMPs for maintenance of active and inactive roads are a current training focus.

Current as of November 19, 2020