16 USC 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
Terms Used In 16 USC 4502a
- association: when used in reference to a corporation, shall be deemed to embrace the words "successors and assigns of such company or association" in like manner as if these last-named words, or words of similar import, were expressed. See 1 USC 5
- Baseline: Projection of the receipts, outlays, and other budget amounts that would ensue in the future without any change in existing policy. Baseline projections are used to gauge the extent to which proposed legislation, if enacted into law, would alter current spending and revenue levels.
- Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
- Secretary: means the Secretary of Agriculture. See 16 USC 4503d
- 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. See 16 USC 4503d
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.