16 U.S. Code § 4502a - Tropical forestry research and assistance

(a) Assistance

To promote sound management and conservation of tropical forests of the United States and to promote the development and transfer of technical, managerial, educational, and administrative skills to managers of tropical forests within or outside the United States, the Secretary of Agriculture is authorized to provide assistance through the Forest Service to eligible entities in States with tropical forests to—

(1) develop, promote, and demonstrate sustainable harvesting of native woods and other forest products on a sustainable yield basis in balance with natural resource conservation;

(2) promote habitat preservation and species protection or recovery;

(3) protect indigenous plant and animal species and essential watersheds from non-native animals, plants, and pathogens;

(4) establish biological control agents for non-native species that threaten natural ecosystems;

(5) establish a monitoring system in tropical forests to identify baseline conditions and determine detrimental changes or improvements over time;

(6) detect and appraise stresses affecting tropical forests caused by insect infestations, diseases, pollution, fire, and non-native animal and plant species, and by the influence of people;

(7) determine the causes of changes that are detected through experimentation, intensive monitoring, and data collection at affected tropical forest sites; and

(8) engage in research, demonstration, education, training, and outreach that furthers the objectives of this subsection.

(b) Form of assistance

Assistance provided to eligible entities under this section may be in the form of grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements.

(c) Definitions

As used in this section:

(1) Eligible entity

The term “eligible entity” means a State forester or equivalent State official, State, political subdivision of a State, Federal agency, private organization, corporation, or other private person.

(2) State

The term “State” means each of the 50 States, Guam, American Samoa, the Republic of Palau (until the Compact of Free Association enters into effect), Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.

(Pub. L. 102–574, § 3, Oct. 29, 1992, 106 Stat. 4596.)

Editorial Notes

References in Text

For Oct. 1, 1994, as the date the Compact of Free Association with the Republic of Palau enters into effect, referred to in subsec. (c)(2), see Proc. No. 6726, Sept. 27, 1994, 59 F.R. 49777, set out as a note under section 1931 of Title 48, Territories and Insular Possessions.

Codification

Section was enacted as part of the Hawaii Tropical Forest Recovery Act, and not as part of the International Forestry Cooperation Act of 1990 which comprises this chapter.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Authorization of Appropriations

Pub. L. 102–574, § 5, Oct. 29, 1992, 106 Stat. 4599, provided that:

“There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as are necessary to carry out sections 3 and 4 [enacting this section and provisions set out as a note under 4503a of this title].”