The Long-Term soil productivity study after three decades

Abstract

In 1989, the Long-Term Soil Productivity (LTSP) concept, and eventual study design, began with a conversation about the needs of forest managers in the USDA Forest Service to meet the requirements of the National Forest Management Act (NFMA) of 1976. This Act mandated that the productive capacity of forests be maintained on federally managed lands while also maintaining soil productivity. Soon after initiating the LTSP study within the USDA Forest Service, it was expanded to include partnerships with national and international researchers and managers to establish and maintain more than 100 LTSP and affiliated sites across North America (Fig. 1), as well as at several other international locations, including New Zealand, China, and Chile.