Settings are the puzzle pieces that will eventually combine to become harvest units and leave areas. The final setting system is a result of the PLANS analysis and is prepared for use in the Scheduling and Network (SNAP) analysis.

After the landings are located and profiles are evaluated in the PLANS analysis, the setting boundaries for each landing are delineated. These boundaries are assigned such that they form a network of polygons covering the entire planning area with no overlap, similar to a map of political boundaries. Each setting corresponds to a single landing, while a given landing may have multiple settings.

Many factors are taken into consideration when determining setting boundaries. These factors include topography, stand condition boundaries, political boundaries, road locations, and maximum external yarding distance (EYD). Political boundaries, road locations, and EYD tend to be fixed boundaries, while topography and stand conditions allow more flexibility. Topographic features such as ridges and draws (especially streams) are preferred over stand condition boundaries, unless there are significant differences in timber volume between neighboring stands.

Setting boundaries are further constrained by a 100-acre/setting limit. This constraint is in place because of the 100-acre maximum harvest unit set forth in the HCP. Typically, setting sizes are much smaller than this (30-50 acres). This allows more flexibility in the creation of timber sales.