16 USC § 6591 - Forest stands inventory and monitoring program to improve detection of and response to environmental threats

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t16/s6591"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_prima_facie"
title: "16 USC § 6591 - Forest stands inventory and monitoring program to improve detection of and response to environmental threats"
title_number: 16
title_name: "CONSERVATION"
section_number: "6591"
section_name: "Forest stands inventory and monitoring program to improve detection of and response to environmental threats"
chapter_number: 84
chapter_name: "HEALTHY FOREST RESTORATION"
subchapter_number: "VI"
subchapter_name: "MISCELLANEOUS"
positive_law: false
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2026-04-17"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(Pub. L. 108–148, title VI, § 601, Dec. 3, 2003, 117 Stat. 1914.)"
---


# § 6591. Forest stands inventory and monitoring program to improve detection of and response to environmental threats

**(a)** **In general** The Secretary of Agriculture shall carry out a comprehensive program to inventory, monitor, characterize, assess, and identify forest stands (with emphasis on hardwood forest stands) and potential forest stands—

**(1)** in units of the National Forest System (other than those units created from the public domain); and

**(2)** on private forest land, with the consent of the owner of the land.

**(b)** **Issues to be addressed** In carrying out the program, the Secretary shall address issues including—

**(1)** early detection, identification, and assessment of environmental threats (including insect, disease, invasive species, fire, and weather-related risks and other episodic events);

**(2)** loss or degradation of forests;

**(3)** degradation of the quality forest stands caused by inadequate forest regeneration practices;

**(4)** quantification of carbon uptake rates; and

**(5)** management practices that focus on preventing further forest degradation.

**(c)** **Early warning system** In carrying out the program, the Secretary shall develop a comprehensive early warning system for potential catastrophic environmental threats to forests to increase the likelihood that forest managers will be able to—

**(1)** isolate and treat a threat before the threat gets out of control; and

**(2)** prevent epidemics, such as the American chestnut blight in the first half of the twentieth century, that could be environmentally and economically devastating to forests.

**(d)** **Authorization of appropriations** There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2004 through 2008.

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**Source Credit**: (Pub. L. 108–148, title VI, § 601, Dec. 3, 2003, 117 Stat. 1914.)