Tongass National Forest

Fish and Riparian Updates

Several opportunities for updating the 1997 Forest Plan existed relative to fish and riparian resource management. Culverts installed prior to the 1997 Forest Plan do not meet current standards. Extensive efforts are being undertaken to remedy fish passage in these older structures. This work has produced a suite of analysis, design and monitoring tools that can be described in the Forest Plan. Additionally, Forest Plan implementation and monitoring has raised questions regarding Class III stream buffer design, and there are questions regarding which fish are best suited for management indicator species (MIS) status. As a result, a number of edits were made to the Fish and Riparian forest-wide standards and guidelines for the 2008 amended Forest Plan.

Work Product(s): The product for this work item was appropriate edits to the 1997 Forest Plan.