Public Rangelands: Some Riparian Areas Restored but Widespread Improvement Will Be Slow
RCED-88-105
Published: Jun 30, 1988. Publicly Released: Jun 30, 1988.
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Highlights
In response to a congressional request, GAO discussed federal efforts to restore degraded riparian areas on public rangelands and the extent of areas still needing improvement.
Recommendations
Recommendations for Executive Action
| Agency Affected | Recommendation | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Department of Agriculture | The Secretaries of the Interior and Agriculture should direct the Director, BLM, and the Chief, U.S. Forest Service, to review the staffing support provided to riparian improvement efforts in the context of all program activities, and determine whether appropriate staffing levels are being provided. |
Closed – Implemented
The agencies' field units are in process of reassessing staff needs to implement established plans. The FY 1991 budget submission will contain appropriate staffing levels. The FY 1991 budget increased the level of staff resources devoted to riparian improvements.
|
| Department of the Interior | The Secretaries of the Interior and Agriculture should direct the Director, BLM, and the Chief, U.S. Forest Service, to review the staffing support provided to riparian improvement efforts in the context of all program activities, and determine whether appropriate staffing levels are being provided. |
Closed – Implemented
The fiscal year (FY) 1991 budget increased the level of staff resources devoted to riparian improvements.
|
| Department of Agriculture | The Secretaries of the Interior and Agriculture should, as part of their annual budget submissions, report on the extent of riparian improvement that can be expected with the level of staffing they recommend. |
Closed – Implemented
The Forest Service will include the recommended report as part of an annual budget process. BLM will put together and report through the annual work plan process. The FY 1991 budget contained this recommended data.
|
| Department of the Interior | The Secretaries of the Interior and Agriculture should, as part of their annual budget submissions, report on the extent of riparian improvement that can be expected with the level of staffing they recommend. |
Closed – Implemented
The Forest Service will include the recommended report as part of an annual budget process. BLM will put together and report through the annual work plan process. However, this action was not incorporated into actual budget submissions.
|
| Department of Agriculture | With respect to the commitment to achieve broader riparian improvement, the Secretaries of the Interior and Agriculture should direct the Director, BLM, and the Chief, U.S. Forest Service, to reemphasize and reiterate the agencies' commitment. As part of this effort, the Director and the Chief should: (1) establish finite, measurable goals in terms of miles of riparian areas to be targeted for restoration; (2) annually measure and document the specific progress being made to achieve those goals; and (3) document and justify instances where restoration steps needed to achieve established goals are seriously thwarted or rejected. |
Closed – Implemented
The Forest Service incorporated the recommended action into its planning process.
|
| Department of the Interior | With respect to the commitment to achieve broader riparian improvement, the Secretaries of the Interior and Agriculture should direct the Director, BLM, and the Chief, U.S. Forest Service, to reemphasize and reiterate the agencies' commitment. As part of this effort, the Director and the Chief should: (1) establish finite, measurable goals in terms of miles of riparian areas to be targeted for restoration; (2) annually measure and document the specific progress being made to achieve those goals; and (3) document and justify instances where restoration steps needed to achieve established goals are seriously thwarted or rejected. |
Closed – Implemented
BLM has required state directors to annually measure and document riparian goal achievements as part of its planning process.
|
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