The Forest Service proposes to improve national
forests by reshaping the 15-year management plans that guide them.
The agency’s draft rule says plans must emphasize ecological
balance and sustainable use of forests, boost public involvement
during the planning process, and shift some decision-making from
regional and national offices to forest-level managers. The current
system of administrative appeals would be changed to an “objection
process’ that would occur before the final version of the forest
plan is signed. “We’re enthusiastic about a number of scientific
aspects of the rule and the strong emphasis on ecological
sustainability as the underpinning for multi-use management,” says
Robert Dewey of Defenders of Wildlife in Washington, D.C. “We’ve
been saying that ecology has to be the first priority of forest
management and we’re glad to see that the plan recognizes this.”
Others are skeptical. Steve Holmer of American Lands in Washington,
D.C., approves of the proposal’s rhetoric but says there are no
specific standards to ensure results. The leeway that the draft
rule would grant to forest-level land managers “threatens
biodiversity, recreational opportunities, and clean water,” he
says, “because when you have local vested economic interest driving
the forest, they tend to do what’s good for their pocketbooks and
not what’s good for the forest.” Timber industry spokesmen worry
the plan will mean even less logging on public lands. The Forest
Service will host town hall meetings in 23 locations around the
country to discuss the proposal. Meetings will be held in Denver,
Colo., on Nov. 13, in Missoula, Mont., on Nov. 18, and in Salt Lake
City, Utah, on Dec. 7. The agency will accept written public
comment on the draft rule until Jan. 4. For a free copy of the
proposal, or a full listing of meeting dates and locations, call
the USDA’s Content Analysis Enterprise Team at 406/329-3388. The
documents are also available on the Web at
www.fs.fed.us/forum/nepa/rule, or at www.access.gpo.gov, the
federal register’s Web site.
*Ali
Macalady
This article appeared in the print edition of the magazine with the headline USFS plans for more planning.
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