Abstract:
Forest restoration is a priority for the U.S. Forest Service, but many have argued that the agency
is constrained in meeting restoration objectives by its budget structure. In 2012, Congress approved
on a pilot basis the Integrated Resource Restoration (IRR) budget line item to consolidate
previously separated budget lines. With IRR, the Forest Service introduced new performance measures
that increased flexibility to focus on priority restoration activities. The Southwestern, Intermountain, and
Northern Regions of the Forest Service have been implementing the IRR since 2012. We were asked by
the Forest Service to provide a third-party evaluation of the pilot.