Access Terms

Mineral reserve

An estimate within specified accuracy limits of the valuable metal or mineral content of known deposits that may be produced under current economic conditions and with present technology.

A concentration of naturally occurring solid, liquid, or gaseous material in or on the earth's crust in such form and amount that economic extraction of a commodity from the concentration is currently or potentially feasible.

Mineral Soil

Soil that consists mainly of inorganic material, such as weathered rock, rather than organic matter.

Mission (of the USDA Forest Service)

"To Care for the Land and Serve the People". As set forth in law the mission is to achieve quality land management under the sustainable multiple-use management concept to meet the diverse needs of people.

Mitigation

Actions taken to avoid, minimize, or rectify the impact of a land management practice.

Mixed Stand

A stand consisting of two or more tree species.

Monitoring (Plan Monitoring)

The process of tracking the implementation of land use plan decisions.

Monitoring and Evaluation

The periodic evaluation of forest management activities to determine how well objectives were met and how management practices should be adjusted. See "adaptive management".

Mortality

Trees that were merchantable and have died within a specified period of time. The term mortality can also refer to the rate of death of a species in a given population or community.

Mosaic

Areas with a variety of plant communities over a landscape, such as areas with trees and areas without trees occurring over a landscape.

Items starting with M