Forest residues often require treatment to meet land management objectives. Guideline statements for managing forest residues are presented to provide direction for achieving these objectives. The latest research information and the best knowledge of experts in various land management disciplines were used to formulate these statements. A unique keying system is provided for determining which guidelines apply to a particular management activity, for a given site in a given location, and within a given forest species association type.

Forest residues management involves disposal, modification, or utilization of wood products. The costs and benefits of the several alternatives available to forest managers must be evaluated in relation to land management goals and constraints in four areas: (1) unused wood fiber, (2) conflagrations, (3) impairment of forest resources, and (4) opposition to treatment of residues. Advance modification of fuels or installation of fuelbreaks on strategic locations may be the best residue management for fire control, but probable loss must be weighed against cost. A simple framework is proposed that uses quantitative data on costs, benefits, and probabilities, but the opportunity exists to use qualitative data until research results become available.