What's New?
		The Forest Service is issuing guidance through two new documents to help protect and monitor forest ecosystems from potential adverse effects of air pollution. The Federal Land Managers’ Interagency Guidance for Nitrogen and Sulfur Deposition Analysis was developed in coordination with the National Park Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. It supplements the 2010 Federal Land Managers’ Air Quality Related Values Working Group (FLAG) Report which guides Federal Land Managers in the process and thresholds used to determine the significance of air pollution impacts to Class I wilderness areas. This supplement improves the consistency in language and process when assessing impacts from sulfur or nitrogen deposition. The Forest Service also has published RMRS-GTR-278WWW National Protocols for Sampling Air Pollution-Sensitive Waters for National Forest System lands. The protocols provide a consistent framework regarding where, when, and how to conduct water sampling for the purpose of evaluating and monitoring air pollution effects on aquatic ecosystems. This consistency will aid the Forest Service in assessing regional and national impacts to surface waters from air pollution. Training DVDs have been developed by Missoula Technology and Development Center to support field implementation. Click here to link to the lake sampling video and the stream sampling video. The Forest Service Air program has recently published a report summarizing our national air program and the state of the atmosphere affecting national forests and grasslands. 2010 Forest Service Air Program accomplishments and successes are also highlighted. The Forest Service has released the first national Watershed Condition Framework report and an interactive map with classifications. Atmospheric effects to water quality, soil condition, and terrestrial condition were included as part of this assessment.

Air is an Integrating Resource

Air is inseparable from all other resources. It is the key component linking virtually all living and non-living components of the earth. The Forest Service works to protect air quality by working with industry and regulators, monitoring air and the resources affected by air pollution, and by providing the public with information about air quality. Poor air quality decreases visibility, acidifies or disrupts the nutrient balance in lakes and streams, injures plant and animal communities, and harms human health.

Progress has been made toward improving air quality across the United States since the enactment of the Clean Air Act in 1977. But air quality on Forest lands and even wilderness areas is far from pristine. As the human population with its resulting urbanization and industrialization continues to grow, the Forest Service Air Program must understand how air quality affects resources in order to work cooperatively with industry, state and federal groups to prevent and reduce air pollution and its effects to natural resources and human health.

The Forest Service monitors the effects of pollution that may impair visibility, harm human health, injure trees and other plants, acidify or cause unnatural fertilization of streams and lakes, leach nutrients from soils, and degrade cultural resources, like archeological sites and historical buildings. Forest activities that can affect air quality such as prescribed burning, ski areas, and oil and gass development are also monitored to ensure compliance with air regulations for human health and to monitor possible impacts to natural resources.

The Air Program envisions a healthy environment for current and future generations where natural processes can occur. We believe that:

• The health of humans and ecosystems are inseparable;
• Clean air is essential; and
• Science is a foundation for taking action.

The Mission of the Air Program is to provide sound counsel on air quality issues to Forest Service decision makers.

Image Credits: Image used on this site are taken from the Wilderness.net image library. Individual credits include: Peter Druschke, Russ Finley, Tom Iraci, Tom Kaffine, C.S. Kvern, Michael Olwyler, Steve Peel, Nick Teague, Josh Whitmore.