Policy analysis and national forest appeal reform

The USDA Forest Service appeals process has affected the management of national forests for nearly a century. Concerns over wildfire and forest health have recently focused attention on the role of the appeals process in agency decision making and management. A policy analysis framework is useful to illustrate the relationships in complex national forest management questions. Although reformation of the appeals process has previously been identified and recommended, stakeholders' interest in maintaining the current appeals process creates an obstacle. The current use of the appeals process represents a policy choice designed to address a particular national forest management concern, but changes in management priorities and methods suggest reconsidering the utility of the appeals process.