[Public Land Statistics, 1996]
[Part 2 - HEALTHY PRODUCTIVE LANDS]
[From the U.S. Government Printing Office, www.gpo.gov]


Part 2--HEALTHY PRODUCTIVE LANDS

Most of the goods and services that the BLM provides to the American people
are resource-based, with the agency's ability to provide them ultimately
depending on the health of the public lands.  Healthy lands sustain resource-
based economies; degraded lands do not.  The Bureau is committed to
maintaining the public lands in a healthy condition.

To effectively carry out its mission, the Bureau needs to (1) better
understand historic and present conditions of the land, (2) use science and
technology to identify and relieve stresses to the land's health, and (3) work
with the public to develop consensus goals for the health of the land.
Obtaining this information and achieving these goals requires coordinated
planning and collaborative approaches.  Periodic assessments are conducted to
help the Bureau (1) define critical baseline information on the status and
trend of the land's health; (2) predict direct, indirect, and cumulative
effects of activities on the land, water, and air; and (3) identify and
evaluate long-term trends.

Table 2-1 provides a summary of the Ecological Site inventories conducted
during the past year.  Ecological site inventories provide land managers with
useful information for determining site capability and assessing whether
resource management objectives are being met.

Table 2-2, Condition of Riparian-Wetland Areas, was first reported in PLS in
1995.  A riparian-wetland area is healthy and functioning when adequate
vegetation, landform, or large woody debris is present to dissipate the energy
associated with high water flows.

Table 2-3, Resource Conservation and Improvement Accomplishments, is a summary
of the many conservation, rehabilitation, and development projects completed
on the public lands during the past year.  These efforts help stabilize soils,
maintain or improve water quality, control siltation and salinity, reduce
surface runoff, and control flooding.

Table 2-4, Forest Development Accomplishments, shows the numerous
reforestation and improvement projects completed during FY 96.  These efforts
lead to improvement of forest health conditions on the public lands.

Table 2-5 describes the various type of wildlife habitats that exist on the
public lands.  No single Federal or State agency manages more fish and
wildlife habitat than the Bureau of Land Management.  As the quality and
quantity of the Nation's fish and wildlife habitats decrease, the varied
habitats on public lands become increasingly important to maintain a national
fish and wildlife heritage.

Table 2-6 shows an estimate of the numbers of big game species located on
public lands.  Most of this data is provided by the various State wildlife
agencies.

Table 2-7 demonstrates the variety of improvement projects used to enhance
fish and wildlife habitats on public land.  Most of these efforts are
accomplished in cooperation with State wildlife agencies and conservation
groups.

Table 2-8 displays the Bureau's fire rehabilitation projects that were needed
to stabilize soils after wildfires occurred. 



Table 2-9, Prescribed Fire Projects, shows the Bureau's efforts to utilize
fire as a critical natural process to maintain and restore ecosystems.  In FY
96, the BLM utilized fire on 50,000-plus acres to enhance the health of our
public rangelands and forestlands.