2409.14,10 Page 1 of 4 FOREST SERVICE HANDBOOK WASHINGTON FSH 2409.14 - TIMBER MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM HANDBOOK Amendment No. 2409.14-94-1 Effective April 6, 1994 POSTING NOTICE. Amendments are numbered consecutively by Handbook number and calendar year. Post by document name. Remove entire document and replace with this amendment. Retain this transmittal as the first page of this document. The last amendment to this Handbook was Amendment 2409.14-93-1 to 2409.14,60. This amendment supersedes Amendment 2409.14-92-1 to FSH 2409.14,10. Superseded New Document Name (Number of Pages) 2409.14,10 3 4 Digest: 10 - Updates direction to match current computer methodology and terms for the timber management information system (TMIS). Corrects information on relationships among management systems and data bases. JACK WARD THOMAS Chief FSH 2409.14 - TIMBER MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM HANDBOOK WO AMENDMENT 2409.14-94-1 EFFECTIVE 4/6/94 CHAPTER 10 - SYSTEM OVERVIEW The timber management information system (TMIS) is designed to store and retrieve timber-related information. It provides an efficient way to interface with a variety of other planning and operation systems to avoid duplicating information reporting and beginning anew with each new information requirement. Use of the system is mandatory at the service-wide level. It performs the following functions: 1. Provides information to manage the timber program. 2. Stores and manipulates site specific information in numerous ways. 3. Meets data requirements for support analysis systems, such as forest planning models (FORPLAN) or special studies (for example, endangered species habitat, or defaulted timber sales). 4. Meets data requirements for analysis systems, such as multi-year program budgeting and program accounting, and management attainment reporting systems. 5. Sorts and retrieves treatment accomplishment data. 6. Aggregates accomplishment data for regional and national summaries. 7. Meets reporting requirements of the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act (RPA), the National Forest Management Act (NFMA), and other laws and regulations. 11 - RELATIONSHIP TO OTHER FOREST SERVICE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS. Information in the timber management information system (TMIS) comes from forest inventories, silvicultural examination, accomplished projects, timber sale contracts, and forest plans. This data is aggregated to meet the requirements of each management level. Forest inventory data provides the timber information needed for the RPA assessment. The RPA assessment contributes to the information needed for the development of the RPA program. Inventory and timber data entered into TMIS originates from forest inventory or silvicultural examinations. It provides timber management information necessary for the preparation of forest plans. TMIS timber sale and other data are used to meet Congressional reporting requirements and to respond to government and public inquiries. Forest-level detail summaries provide information for analysis to manage the national timber program. It also provides information to allow timber program oversight internally by the Forest Service and the Office of the Inspector General, externally by Federal agencies with oversight responsibility, and by the public. 12 - DESCRIPTION OF DATA BASES. The timber management information system (TMIS) is composed of three levels of information: forest-wide, region-wide, and service-wide. At each level, the system provides an appropriate amount and kind of information for the forest, region, or Washington Office to manage its timber program. Two major subsystems of TMIS are the Sales Tracking and Reporting System (STARS) and the Timber Activity Control System (TRACS). Data entry is performed on the Data General (DG) System which provides the capability to send batch runs, but the actual System 2000 (S2K) data bases reside at the National Computer Center in Kansas City, Missouri (NCC-KC). STARS has a data base for each forest; TRACS has a data base for each region. 13 - FOREST-WIDE INFORMATION SYSTEM. This includes data bases that track several types of timber information. In some instances, district-wide systems are developed from forest-wide data bases. These data bases do not have to be separate; one data base may perform two or more functions. Most forest-wide data bases are not on the Kansas City System. 1. Stand Level Information. This data base contains timber stand information used to develop and revise functional action plans, and to develop program budgets in accordance with forest plans and RPA goals. It contains site specific information on the timber resource and other resources as they affect timber. Historical activity accomplishment is accumulated here from the activities and accomplishments data base. This data base has been called STAND, although this name is not mandatory. 2. Activities and Accomplishments. This data base contains all programmed and accomplishment information for a particular stand during the planning and action phases of the treatment. It interfaces directly with the stand data base where the permanent record of planned and accomplished treatments are maintained. Silvicultural program accomplishment is summarized upward to the SILVA portion of TRACS. This data base has been called PROGRAM, but this name is not mandatory. 3. Sales Tracking and Reporting System (STARS). This data base contains information about the status of each sale in the action plan from initial proposal to closure. After award, sales information is passed between STARS, the timber sale accounting system, and TRACS for various reporting purposes. 4. Nursery Management Information System (NMIS). This data base provides an automated process for the recordkeeping and reporting activities related to seed and seedling information. The system is operated at the nursery level. 5. Extensive Inventory (EXT). This data base contains information about the timber inventory on each forest. This information is summarized to provide timber resource data for the RPA assessment. 6. Automated Timber Statement of Account (ATSA). This data base includes information for timber sale accounting (FSH 6509.17). 14 - REGION-WIDE INFORMATION SYSTEM. Regional systems may be developed as needed. TRACS is currently a regional data base. Information is passed between this data base and service-wide information systems for upward reporting. Timber inventory and timber sale information in STARS are examples of information that may be useful in a regional data base. 15 - SERVICE-WIDE INFORMATION SYSTEM. The service-wide information system includes the following data bases: Automated Timber Statement of Account (ATSA); Sales Tracking and Reporting System (STARS); Timber Activity Control System (TRACS), which includes silvicultural accomplishments and needs reports, nursery and seed-extractory reports, and plantation survival reports (TRACS-SILVA); and the Timber Sale Program Information Reporting System (TSPIRS).