Forest Plan Database and Exchange of Current Knowledge (FP_DECK)

Internal Tool Developers:Nancy E. Grulke

External Tool Authors: Eastern Forest Environmental Threat Assessment Centers

The Forest Plan Database Exchange of Current Knowledge (FP_DECK) is a searchable database of Forest Service land and resource management plans. This allows anyone to conduct a search an individual forest plans or across multiple forest plans based on a topic of interest, such as a management action, a protected resource, or a geographic location. 

FP_DECK allows land managers to examine similar forest-based activities, explore specific forest characteristics and issues, and develop consistent templates that incorporate state, regional, and national knowledge and expertise. Land management planners can efficiently evaluate the consistency of proposed actions and guide land managers through in-depth plan building. 

FP_DECK is a collaborative effort among the Forest Service's Western and Eastern Environmental Threat Centers, the National Forest System, and state, regional, and national partners.

Purpose and Scope

FP_DECK will benefit regional analysts, forest plan or accelerated restoration teams, resource specialists, and multiple partners. Users will be able to access established forest plans from an easily accessible online location.

The tool will provide land managers opportunity to view and search nationally archived plans. Planners and managers will be able to examine similar forest-based activities, explore specific forest characteristics and issues, and develop consistent templates that incorporate state, regional, and national knowledge and expertise.

National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) coordinators will also be able to efficiently evaluate the consistency of proposed actions and guide land managers through in-depth plan building. Overall information exchange will be increased and valuable institutional knowledge will be incorporated. Access to the current prototype is available upon request (contact information below), with a complete first version expected in late 2014.

Use

Forest planners and managers will be able to examine similar forest-based activities, explore specific forest issues, and develop consistent templates that incorporate knowledge and expertise from several levels. National Environmental Policy Act coordinators will be able to efficiently evaluate the consistency of proposed actions and guide land managers through in-depth plan building. The public will be able to easily find information about specific topics.

How does it work?

• FP_DECK will convert planning documents into an electronically searchable database, allowing users to choose, explore, and analyze specific forest characteristics and to compare activities across multiple forest plans.
• Users will have access to the web-based planning tool, which will include intuitive search features, geospatial mapping capabilities, and exportable reports.
• A companion taxonomy database will assist users when comparing information across national forests and at different operational scales within a forest (e.g., plan versus project level).