Final Environmental Impact Statement

Vestal Final Environmental Impact Statement Chapter 5
204
rate of spread required to attain planned resource management objectives
(synonym for controlled burning).
Prescription (Fire Management)
A written statement defining objectives to be attained, as well as temperature;
humidity; wind direction and wind speed; fuel-moisture content; and soil
moisture, under which the fire will be allowed to burn, generally expressed as
acceptable ranges of the various indices, and the limit of the geographic area to be
covered.
Ranger District
Administrative subdivisions of the Forest supervised by a District Ranger who
reports to the Forest Supervisor.
Raptor Nests
Any nest of eagles, hawks, falcons, or owls.
Regeneration (Silviculture)
The renewal of vegetation whether by natural or artificial means. Also, the new
growth itself.
Responsible Official
The Forest Service employee who has the delegated authority to make a specific
decision.
Riparian Area
(See "Riparian Ecosystem.”)
Riparian Communities
Repeating, classified, defined, and recognizable assemblages of plantor-animal
communities associated with riparian areas.
Riparian Ecosystem
The moist transition zone between the aquatic ecosystem and the relatively drier,
more upland, terrestrial ecosystem(s). This transition zone can extend both
laterally and longitudinally away from aquatic ecosystems, sometimes into
headwater swales that have no defined stream channel. The riparian ecosystem is
the area whose soil is relatively more moist than the adjacent upland and whose
vegetation growth reflects the greater accumulation of available water.
Roads
A general term denoting a way with at least two-wheel tracks for purposes of
travel by vehicles greater than 50 inches in width.
Sawtimber
Trees suitable in size and quality for producing logs that can be processed into
lumber. For planning purposes, trees with an 8-inch diameter or more are
classified as sawtimber.
Scarify
To abrade, scratch, or modify the surface of the ground to expose mineral soil (as
in site preparation) or to break up compacted soil layers (as during road
decommissioning or landing rehabilitation).