(a) Sustainable harvest levels. Prior to offering a special forest product for sale or free use, the responsible forest officer must determine the product's sustainable harvest level. A special forest product's sustainable harvest level is the total quantity of the product that can be harvested annually in perpetuity on a sustained yield basis. Responsible forest officers shall not authorize harvest or free use of special forest products in an amount exceeding known sustainable harvest levels. In determining a sustainable harvest level, the responsible forest officer may consider harvest levels of the product for the previous three years, if such information is available. Responsible forest officers may consider factors such as year-to-year and site-to-site variability, climate, weather change, geographic scale, and scientific data available prior to making their sustainability determination and establishing monitoring time frames consistent with paragraph (c) of this section. Responsible forest officers will consult with Tribes, to the extent appropriate, to determine sustainable harvest levels based on historical information. In addition, responsible forest officers may consult with other appropriate parties to determine sustainable harvest levels based on historical information.
(b) Harvest of protected species. The sale or free use of special forest products listed or proposed for listing as endangered or threatened under the Endangered Species Act is prohibited, except as authorized by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Moreover, regional guidelines will identify when the sale or free use of any special forest product listed on the Regional Forester's sensitive plant list, species of concern list, species of interest list, or protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species may be authorized.
(c) Monitoring of established harvest levels. At least once every three fiscal years, or as otherwise established by the Regional Forester, the Forest Service shall monitor the effects of harvesting on the sustainability of special forest products. Such monitoring may include, but is not limited to, on-site examination of the product, including both harvested and non-harvested areas, and a review of past and projected harvest levels to the extent such information is available.
(d) Revision of harvest levels. The sustainable harvest level for a special forest product may be increased or decreased, as appropriate, based on monitoring.