EFFECTIVE DATE: 2/05/2003
DURATION: This supplement is effective until superseded or removed. / 2240
Page 1 of 6
FSM 2200 – range management
Chapter 2240 – range improvements
2240.3 - Policy
4. Boundary Fences. The United States is not responsible for intrusion of permitted livestock upon private lands or for the settlement of controversies between the owner of permitted livestock and the owner of the private land. Federal courts have also rendered decisions that the United States is not required to fence its lands either to protect them against unauthorized livestock or to control the livestock or to control the livestock permitted to graze (FSM 2230.6). Appropriated funds will not be used to construct boundary fences.
6. Permittee cooperation in construction of structural and accomplishment of non-structural range improvement will be encouraged with a goal of at least 50 percent permittee participation. Permittee contributions may be in deposited cash, labor, material, or a combination of resources.
Participation in the cost of improvements is not mandatory in order to use or hold a grazing permit. However, permittees should be made aware of the management alternatives and their effect on reducing, sustaining, or increasing permitted numbers, and the prospect of construction at Forest Service expense.
2241 - FINANCING RANGE IMPROVEMENTS
2241.11a - Use of Range Betterment Fund
1. When appropriated, 100 percent of the Range Betterment Funds (RBF) received by the Region will be made available to the Forest from which they were derived. Forest Supervisors must plan at a minimum 50 percent of the funds received. The remaining 50 percent, if not planned through the budget process, may be allocated to other Forests on a Regional priority basis.
2241.13 - Range Activities Approved For Sale Area Improvement
The following are types of improvements that may be constructed with Knudsen-Vandenburg (K-V) funds. The list is not all inclusive, but will serve as a guide to the kinds of improvements that should be considered.
1. Construction of division or boundary fences when timber stands that previously provided livestock controls are harvested.
2. Construction of water developments to maintain livestock use or to use forage made available after timber harvest.
3. Seeding of forage species to provide forage for livestock and wildlife.
4. Noxious farm weed control.
2241.14a – Fences
The breaching of natural barriers utilized and needed to contain livestock will be replaced. The activity causing the breach will fund the replacement.
The person responsible for range management must be involved in the first stages of planning for any activity, which may breach a natural barrier. Early involvement will provide for coordinated management as well as proper barrier replacement. The concepts in FSM 2240.2 are applicable. The function of the natural barrier and the need to replace it will be considered in the Environmental Analysis. In general, proper area and sale planning can mitigate the potential problems with the removal of natural barriers.
Some options for financing fences required to replace natural barriers are:
Timber Sale Roads – Forest Roads and Trails (FR&T) funds (6509.11g, ch. 40),
Timber Sales Areas - Benefitting appropriated funds and K-V,
K-V funds may not be available from many sales unless the fencing requirements are to protect regeneration,
Rights-of-Way - Require as condition of special use authorization,
Cost Share Agreements - Include in Plans and Specifications for Construction.
Use of these options requires early coordination and inclusion of requirements in timber sale packages, special use permits, or other permits or contracts. When the barrier replacement is a fence, the maintenance responsibility will be assigned to the grazing permittee.
2241.31 - Permit Modifications
form FS-R1-2200-14, Grazing Permit-Part 3, will be used for permit modification for construction or accomplishment of range improvements. Project specifications and layout criteria will be attached to the modification.
When the improvement is completed, the permittee's cost will be determined and an on-the-ground improvement inspection will be made. The inspecting Forest Officer will certify to the Forest Supervisor that the improvement has been completed to the standards attached to Part 3 of the permit modification. The Forest Supervisor will send a letter to the permittee accepting the improvement as completed and close the permit modification. The letter will inform the permittee that in accordance with section 5 of the Grazing Permit-part 3, Modification-Cooperative Range Improvement, form FS-R1-2200-14, the maintenance of structural improvement will be included in part 3, Responsibilities for Construction and Maintenance of Structural Improvements or for Range Rehabilitation of the Grazing Permit. The permit modification, form FS-R1-2200-14, is marked as closed and removed from the permit.
The structural improvement is added to the list of improvements for which the permittee has maintenance responsibilities.
The improvement will be shown on all allotment maps and placed in the Forest Service Range Management Information System (FSRAMIS) range improvement database. A record of the permittee's percentage costs of the improvement is recorded on the Paid Permit Card Record, forms FS-2200-8 and FS-2200-9, in the section titled, "Other Pertinent Information."
2241.33 - Collection Agreements
Form FS-R1-2200-9, Collection Agreement for Range Improvement Work, will be used when money is deposited by the permittee for construction of accomplishment of range improvements. Project specifications and layout criteria will be attached to the collection agreement.
When the project is completed, a Forest Officer will certify to the Forest Supervisor that the project has been completed to specifications attached to the collection agreement. The Forest Supervisor will inform the permittee by letter that the improvement has been completed. The letter will include those items listed in the collection agreement.
In addition, the letter will inform the permittee that in accordance with Section D-1 of the Collection Agreement for Range Improvement Work, form FS-R1-2200-9, the maintenance of the structural improvements will be included in Part 3 - Responsibilities for Construction and Maintenance of Structural Improvements or for Range Rehabilitation of the Grazing Permit.
The improvement will be shown on all allotment maps and placed in the FSRAMIS range improvement database. A record of the permittee's percentage of the cost of the improvement is recorded on Paid Permit Card Record, forms FS-2200-8 and FS-2200-9, in the section titled, "Other Pertinent Information."
2242 - STRUCTURAL RANGE IMPROVEMENTS
2242.03 – Policy
Specifications from FSH 2209.22 R-1 Structural Range Improvement Handbook will be used in the construction of structural range improvements. Specifications, layout criteria, and coordination requirements will be attached to the authorizing document for the improvement.
2243 - NONSTRUCTURAL RANGE IMPROVEMENTS
2243.33b - Cooperation
Cooperation With Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). Forest Supervisors will contact the APHIS, when investigations or control are desired. Branch offices are located at:
Montana
/Idaho
APHIS – PPG1629 Avenue D
Suite A-5
Billings, MT 59102
Phone (406) 585-6282 / APHIS – PPG
2514 Warren
P.O. Box 67
Twin Falls, ID 83301
Phone: (208) 733-5119
North and South Dakota
APHIS – PPG
220 E. Rosser
P.O. Box 2157
Bismarck, ND 58502
Phone: (701) 783-4473
State Fish and Game Departments will be notified when control projects are proposed and will be invited to recommend measures for wildlife protection.
2246 - RANGE IMPROVEMENT INVESTMENT
2246.03 – Policy
The Forest Supervisor will evaluate allotment projects involving capital investments using form R1-FS-2240-1, Evaluation Worksheet for Allotment Projects, exhibit 01. The evaluation will include the entire allotment project although funding of individual improvements may take a number of years.
After the evaluation, allotment projects will be ranked in descending order for priority in funding. The priority ranking will be updated as new allotment management plans are developed and ranked.
Exhibit 01
USDA FOREST SERVICE / R1-FS-2240-1 (01/2003)EVALUATION WORKSHEET FOR ALLOTMENT PROJECTS
(REF. FSM 2246.1, R-1)
Allotment Name / Butte Creek / Number / AZ
Project ID No. / 31123
Total Project Score / 135
1. Economic Efficiency / Score: / 15 / 7. Coordinated Resource Plan (CRP) and Demonstration) / Score: / 15
Rating / Marginal B/C / Scoring / Degree of Coordination / Scoring
Highly favorable / B/C 1.5 or greater / = / 15 pts. / Approved CRP w/4 or more active participants / = / 15 pts.
Favorable / B/C 1.0-1.4 / = / 10 pts. / Approved CRP w/up to 3 active participants / = / 10 pts.
Marginal / B/C 06.-0.9 / = / 5 pts. / AMP adopted w/coop agencies consulting / = / 5 pts.
Unfavorable / B/C 0.5 or less / = / 0 pts. / AMP adopted w/o coop agency assistance / = / 0 pts.
2. Environmental Quality / Score: / 15 / 8. Relationship to Multiple Resource Projects) / Score: / 15
Rating / FQBR / Scoring / Multiple Resource Projects / Scoring
Highly favorable / 3.0 or greater / = / 15 pts. / Project involves 3 or more other resource projects / = / 15 pts.
Favorable / 1.5-2.9 / = / 10 pts. / Project involves 2 other resource projects / = / 10 pts.
Marginal / 1.1-1.4 / = / 5 pts. / Project involves 1 other resource project / = / 5 pts.
Unfavorable / 1.0 or less / = / 0 pts. / No other resource projects involved / = / 0 pts.
3. Social Well-being Analysis / Score: / 15 / 9. Other (Maximum Score of 20 pts - Describe / Score: / 15
Rating / SIR / Scoring
Highly favorable / 3.0 or greater / = / 15 pts.
Favorable / 1.5-2.9 / = / 10 pts.
Marginal / 1.1-1.4 / = / 5 pts.
Unfavorable / 1.0 or less / = / 0 pts.
4. Sustained and/or Increased AUMs Percent Sustained and/or Increased / Score: / 15
Scoring
Greater than 50% / = / 15 pts.
30-49% / = / 10 pts.
10-29% / = / 5 pts.
Less than 10% / = / 0 pts.
5. Improvements Identified in Allotment Management Plan (AMP) / Score: / 15
Status / Scoring
Identified in AMP / = / 15 pts.
Not identified in AMP / = / 15 pts.
6. Permittee Cooperation / Score: / 15
Degree of Cooperation / Scoring
Committed to AMP, $ support greater than 50% / = / 15 pts.
Committed to AMP, but $ support less than 50% / = / 10 pts.
Accepts AMP, but no $ support / = / 5 pts.
Rejects AMP / = / 0 pts.
Prepared By: / Smokey Bear / Date: / November 27, 2002
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Exhibit 01 - Continued
INSTRUCTIONS
EVALUATION WORKSHEET FOR ALLOTMENT PROJECTS
Instructions for completing the Evaluation Worksheet for Allotment Projects are:
Item / Description1. Economic Efficiency / Use the Marginal Benefit/Cost Ratio as calculated in chapter 40, FSH 2209.11.
2. Environmental Quality / Use the Environmental Quality Benefit Ratio as calculated in chapter 50, FSH 2209.11.
3. Social Well-Being Analysis / Use the Significance Index Rating as calculated in chapter 60, FSH 2209.11.
4. Sustained and/or Increased AUMs / Determine the percent sustained and/or increased AUMs. Use the total AUMs from the last time/period, line 1, column d of form FS-2200-19 as the number sustained and/or increased and current AUM obligation as the base.
5. Improvement Identified in Allotment Management Plan (AMP) / All improvements being evaluated in the allotment project are identified in AMP based on range analysis, which describes current and planned activities and has been approved by the Forest Supervisor.
6. Permittee Cooperation / The degree of success to achieve range management objectives can be related to permittee cooperation. Investment of personal fund or equivalent work and work performed on scheduled activities in the AMP is evidence of the permittee’s willingness to cooperate.
7. Coordinated Resource Plan and Demonstration / The allotment project can serve to demonstrate and initiate new practices on similar adjacent lands. The effort includes involvement of permittees and cooperative agencies and organizations, such as the SCS, extension, and universities. The final product is a written Coordinated Resource Plan (CRP) that coordinates resource use on associated land of all ownerships.
8. Relationship to Multiple Resource Projects / The allotment project may receive added emphasis due to activities from associated resource projects, programs, for example, timber sales, enhancement of T&E species habitat, wilderness, and so forth, included in the AMP.
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