New Forest Planning Rule Seeks to Restore the Nation’s Forests through Science and Collaboration
Secretary Vilsack Announces Release of Final Environmental Impact Statement by US Forest Service
WASHINGTON, Jan. 26, 2012 – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today signaled the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s intent to issue a new planning rule for America’s 193-million acre National Forest System that seeks to deliver stronger protections for forests, water, and wildlife while supporting the economic vitality of our rural communities, by releasing online a Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) for the National Forest System Land Management Planning Rule. Today’s action honors the commitment made by Secretary Vilsack in his 2009 speech on forest management, and by the President in the America’s Great Outdoors Report.
USDA and the Forest Service carefully considered nearly 300,000 comments received on the proposed rule and draft environmental impact statement issued last February, to develop the agency’s preferred course of action for finalizing the planning rule. This is included in the PEIS released today as USDA’s preferred alternative. A notice of availability for the PEIS will be published in the Federal Register on February 3, 2012, and the Secretary will issue a record of decision selecting a final planning rule no less than 30 days afterwards.
“The most collaborative rulemaking effort in agency history has resulted in a strong framework to restore and manage our forests and watersheds and help deliver countless benefits to the American people,” said Secretary Vilsack. “Our preferred alternative will safeguard our natural resources and provide a roadmap for getting work done on the ground that will restore our forests while providing job opportunities for local communities.”
The preferred alternative emphasizes collaboration and strengthens the role of public involvement and dialogue throughout the planning process. It also would require the use of the best available scientific information to inform decisions.
Highlights of the preferred alternative include:
- Plans must include components that seek to restore and maintain forests and grasslands.
- Plans would include requirements to maintain or restore watersheds, water resources, water quality including clean drinking water, and the ecological integrity of riparian areas.
- Plans would be required to provide habitat for plant and animal diversity and species conservation. These requirements are intended to keep common native species common, contribute to the recovery of threatened and endangered species, conserve proposed and candidate species, and protect species of conservation concern.
- Plans would provide for multiple uses, including outdoor recreation, range, timber, watershed, wildlife and fish.
- Plans would be required to provide opportunities for sustainable recreation, and to take into account opportunities to connect people with nature.
- Opportunities for public involvement and collaboration would be required throughout all stages of the planning process. The preferred alternative would provide opportunities for Tribal consultation and coordination with state and local governments and other federal agencies, and includes requirements for outreach to traditionally underrepresented communities.
- Plans require the use of the best available scientific information to inform the planning process and documentation of how science was used in the plan.
- The planning framework provides a more efficient and adaptive process for land management planning, allowing the Forest Service to respond to changing conditions.
“This approach requires plans to conserve and restore watersheds and habitats while strengthening community collaboration during the development and implementation of individual plans,” said U.S. Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell. “Under our preferred alternative, plan revisions would take less time, cost less money, and provide stronger protections for our lands and water. Finalizing a new rule will move us forward in managing our forests and grasslands, and will create or sustain jobs and income for local communities around the country.”
Continuing the strong emphasis USDA and the Forest Service have placed on public engagement throughout this rule-making effort, USDA is forming a Federal Advisory Committee to advise the Secretary on implementation of the final rule. The call for nominations for this committee was published in the Federal Register on January 5, 2012 and will close on February 21, 2012.
"We value the input we have received from the public throughout this process," said Agriculture Under Secretary for Natural Resources and Environment Harris Sherman. "This preferred alternative is a positive framework that will allow the Forest Service to more effectively restore our natural resources, support the economy, and adapt to changing conditions.”
The planning rule provides the framework for Forest Service land management plans for the 155 forests, 20 grasslands and 1 prairie in the National Forest System. A final rule, when selected, would update planning procedures that have been in place since 1982, creating a modern planning process that reflects the latest science and knowledge of how to create and implement effective land management plans. Revisions of the land management plans would take less time and cost less money under the preferred alternative than under the current 30-year-old procedures, while achieving better results for people and the environment.
The mission of the U.S. Forest Service is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the nation’s forests and grasslands to meet the needs of present and future generations. The agency manages 193 million acres of public land, provides assistance to state and private landowners, and maintains the largest forestry research organization in the world.
USDA works with state and local governments and private landowners to conserve and protect our nation’s natural resources – helping preserve our land, and clean our air and water. President Obama launched the America’s Great Outdoors initiative in 2010 to foster a 21st century approach to conservation that is designed by and accomplished in partnership with the American people. During the past two years, USDA’s conservation agencies—the Natural Resources Conservation Service, the U.S. Forest Service, and the Farm Service Agency—have delivered technical assistance and implemented restoration practices on public and private lands. We are working to better target conservation investments: embracing locally driven conservation and entering partnerships that focus on large, landscape-scale conservation.
HROP and Forest Service Host Wildland Fire Academy
The course will be held February 7 through March 28, Tuesdays through Thursdays, from 4:30 – 7:30 pm. There will also be two Saturday and one Sunday class from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm. All classes will be held at the Glen Paul School campus at 2501 Cyprus Avenue, Eureka.
Call Erna at the HROP office at 445-7021 to pre-register for the Academy. Pre-registration is mandatory. There is no fee to register for the Academy.
Those selected for the Academy must attend an orientation on Wednesday, January 25 at 4:00 pm.
Upon successful completion of the Academy, students will have met the requirements of a National Wildland Coordinating Group (NWCG) Firefighter Type 2 (FFT2).
For additional information about the course curriculum, call Captain Pat Howard at the Six Rivers National Forest, 707-441-3581, or Captain Adam Booth at 707-498-1822. Call Erna at the HROP office at 445-7021 to pre-register for the Academy.
JOBS!!
Work for the Great Outdoors!
Eureka, CA, January 4, 2012 – The Annual Job Fair for temporary employment will be held at the Six Rivers National Forest Headquarters’ Office, 1330 Bayshore Way, Eureka, California, according to Forest Supervisor Tyrone Kelley. The Fair is free and open to anyone seeking information about potential jobs with the U.S. Forest Service. It will be held Friday, January 20 from 3:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Information about vacant temporary and student positions will be available. Job opportunities will focus on fire management. Other natural resource opportunities may also be available. Job seekers are encouraged to bring their résumé as Forest staff will be available to assist those interested in applying for positions through the online application process. Computer workstations will be available for individuals wishing to submit their application during the Fair.
A highlight of the Fair will be the opportunity for one-on-one conversations with resource specialists to learn about their careers, what they do in their jobs, and the education and experience required. Equipment such as fire engines and other specialized gear used by employees in their work will also be on-hand.
For more information call the Employment Hotline at (707) 441-3548.
BLM Advisory Council Wild Horse and Burro Subcommittee to Meet in Alturas
Bureau of Land Management
For Immediate Release: Jan 4, 2012 A subcommittee of the Bureau of Land Management’s Northeast California Resource Advisory Council will discuss wild horse and burro management issues when it meets Wednesday, Jan. 11, at
9 a.m. at the BLM Alturas Field Office, 708 West 12th St. in Alturas.
The meeting is open to the public.
The group will draft comments on issues that should be considered as the National Academy of Sciences conducts an independent technical evaluation of the science, methodology and technical decision-making approaches that the BLM uses in managing the wild horse and burro program.
The four member subcommittee includes the resource advisory council chair and a member from each of three voting groups that make up the 15-member RAC.
Subcommittee recommendations will be considered by the full RAC when it meets Feb. 8 in Redding. Details of that meeting will be announced.
PNF Snowmobile Route Protections
December 15, 2011 News Release #12-03
PNF Snowmobile Route Protections
Plumas National Forest snowmobile routes in the Little Grass Valley and Bucks Lake Areas will be closed to all wheeled motor vehicles including all-terrain vehicles (ATV’s) effective December 15, 2011, through March 31, 2012, by forest order (PNF-11-11-19). Wheeled motor vehicles create ruts on maintained snowmobile trails which result in hazardous conditions for snowmobile operators. The forest has several major snowmobile areas: Four Trees, Bucks Lake, La Porte, and Lakes Basin. The Bucks Lake Wilderness Area is closed to all motor vehicles and bicycles all year.
Violation of the closure order may be costly: $5,000 for an individual, $10,000 for an organization, or imprisonment for not more than six months or both in addition to the cost associated with restoring the trail.
During the winter months, all drivers are cautioned to maintain a safe operating speed, wear warm clothing, and be aware of weather and current snow conditions. Travel plans should be shared with family or friends including an expected return time. If stranded, drivers should remain with their vehicle because it may provide shelter, and it is easier to locate a vehicle in the forest than finding people on foot. While waiting for help to arrive, travelers can signal distress by using emergency flashers and by tying a handkerchief or flagging onto an antenna or mirror. The tailpipe should be kept clear and a downwind window open if the engine is run periodically for warmth.
Funding for Plumas NF snowmobile trail maintenance comes from the State of California Off Highway Vehicle Division. Information about restricted areas, maps, and forest orders may be obtained from the following offices or the forest website at http://www.fs.usda.gov/plumas :
Beckwourth Ranger District, Mohawk Rd., Blairsden, CA 96103, (530) 836-2575
Feather River Ranger District, 875 Mitchell Ave., Oroville, CA 95965, (530) 534-6500
Mt. Hough Ranger District, 39696 Hwy 70, Quincy, CA 95971, (530) 283-0555
Supervisor’s Office, 159 Lawrence St., Quincy, CA 95971, (530) 283-2050