National Forest Planning Rule
What is Forest Planning
Can you imagine trying to manage 155 very different and unique children? Well, that is what the U.S. Forest Service does with our many national forests.
Our national forests are the backbone of America’s public lands system. And creating plans for each of them takes time, money and community participation. Forest planning looks at everything from logging to protecting threatened species. Because forests transcend centuries, the plans need to be thoughtful of the next generation and the long-term needs of the community and land.
The National Forest Management Act or NFMA is the basic law that the Forest Service must follow in developing forest planning rules to manage national forests. Passed in 1976, the Act has three special features:
- The Forest Service is required to involve the public in forest planning.
- The Forest Service must develop and update a 10 to 15 year plan for how it would manage the land and resources in each individual national forest.
- All management activities in the national forest must be consistent with the forest plan.
National forest planning rule
As it turns out, in the history of the Forest Service, there has only been one successful forest planning rule. While it is effective, the rule dates back to 1982, and does not address 21st century forest planning issues like sustainable recreation and climate change.
Accordingly, the Obama administration revised the 1982 rule, and after much public input, replaced it with one that addresses the current needs of our forests and surrounding communities.
Planning directives
Planning directives explain the nitty-gritty details and requirements the Forest Service must adhere to when implementing the new planning rule. While many of us will never read a planning directive, they are what guides the detailed development of forest plans and are relied on heavily by Forest Service employees and stakeholders. The directives are comprised of the Forest Service Manuals and related Forest Service Handbooks.
National advisory committee
The Forest Service is setting up a national committee to help guide the initial implementation of the new planning rule. The committee’s official title is the “National Advisory Committee for Implementation of the National Forest System Land Management Planning Rule.”
Helpful links
- The National Forest Management Act:
http://www.fs.fed.us/emc/nfma/includes/NFMA1976.pdf - National Forest Management Act planning directives:
http://www.fs.fed.us/emc/nfma/index5.html - National advisory committee:
http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/planningrule/home/?cid=stelprdb5346267 - Forest Service manual:
http://www.fs.fed.us/im/directives/dughtml/fsm1000.html - Forest Service handbook:
http://www.fs.fed.us/im/directives/dughtml/fsh1000.html
Why Wilderness
Wilderness is a precious resource with many human, natural and economic benefits that we need to protect.
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mywilderness
Betty White first visited California’s Sierra Nevada at age four. That visit, and visits almost every year thereafter, made a lasting impression on her.
Monday, May 20, 2013The Forest Service proposed a ban last year on horizontal drilling, also known as fracking. Their decision will determine how this forest is managed for at least the next decade.
Monday, May 20, 2013National Trails Day on Saturday June 1st provides numerous opportunities to hike, run, and horseback ride on a trail near you.
Thursday, May 16, 2013Visit us in the Eco-Village at this summer’s Dave Matthews Band concerts.
Wednesday, May 15, 2013Yet, here we are, with people and the government unable to stop furloughs, job losses, and lower revenue to keep the government functioning. Our public lands have certainly not been spared from this indiscriminate budget ax.
Tuesday, April 2, 2013But Alaska’s Sen. Lisa Murkowski refused to accept that decision. She and residents of the tiny community of King Cove are fighting to have the decision overturned.
Tuesday, March 19, 2013Birdwatchers travel from far and wide to northwest Colorado to see male sage-grouse strut their stuff in hopes of attracting a mate. Early spring is prime season to catch these timid grouse dancing on the lek and shaking their tail feathers through organized tours.
Smart Steps to Establish a Responsible Program for Renewable Energy on Public Lands
Since its first day in office, the Obama Administration has made rapid and responsible expansion of renewable energy a top priority. The public lands have played a major role in achieving early goals, but only because of focused effort to correct decades of inattention and inactivity toward developing renewable energy as a major component of the nation’s energy mix.
Expanding energy development to meet the growing needs of America must be balanced with protecting vital wild places.
The Wilderness Society has launched a new quarterly report "By The Numbers" to track how many acres of American land have been protected by Congress and the Executive branch, and how many acres have been leased out to energy development.
April 24, 2013
Dear Senator:
Monday, May 20, 2013Gov. Sean Parnell’s plan to ask the Alaska Legislature for $50 million to look for oil and gas in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is incompatible with the reasons the refuge was established, and would cause significant harm to a vital and irreplaceable American landscape.
Friday, May 17, 2013A draft Resource Management Plan (RMP) for the Dominguez-Escalante National Conservation Area and Dominguez Canyon Wilderness near Grand Junction, CO would improve land management efforts and provide a sustainable path for the area over the next 20 years.
Thursday, May 16, 2013The Wilderness Society today applauded the U.S. Senate for passing the Rio Grande del Norte National Conservation Area Establishment Act out of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee.
The Rio Grande del Norte National Conservation Area Establishment Act (S. 241) – sponsored by Tom Udall (D-NM) and co-sponsored by Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-NM) – would protect as wilderness roughly 13,500 acres of the Cerro del Yuta and 8,000 acres of the Rio San Antonio areas.