U.S. Forest Service: planning processes

Manti-La Sal National Forest Forest Plan Revision

Contacts: Annette Delos Santos, Forest Planner, (435) 636-3512
Ann King, Public Affairs Officer, (435) 636-3535

What's Going to Change? The emphasis will be on fixing things in the current forest plan that don't work. The NF staff has been gathering and analyzing data that describes their current management situation across 10 geographically separate areas: Ferron/Muddy Creek; Huntington Canyon/Joes Valley; Scofield; Sanpete; Sanpitch; Spanish Fork; Moab East; Moab West; Mesas & Canyons; and The Peaks (Abajos). They welcome your observations since your comments will provide the Forest with important information.

Right now – Winter/Spring 2003: The current forest plan stage consists of continually identifying issues by distributing a newsletter, holding scoping meetings, as well as meetings with local governments and other agencies. The questions that the NF wishes your responses to include: 1) How do you most often use the Forest? Please list the 5 top ways. [Consider where these uses occur 10 smaller pieces of the NF have been identified to which you may refer see above.] 2) What aspects of the Forest are most important to you? 3) What other uses occur on the areas important to you? 4) What are your primary concerns regarding forest management? 5) Any additional comments or suggestions?

Next – Fall of 2003: The Forest staff plan to develop "proposed actions" and "purpose and need" statements through input received from citizen and stakeholder workgroups. Then, through the Fall of 2003 and the Winter of 2004, the formulation of alternatives will be addressed via a forum of all these workgroups. By the Spring of 2005, the intent is to create a draft plan/Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) which entails publishing a Notice of Availability on the Federal Register, mailing the Draft Plan/EIS, having a comment period for public input and sharing a press release to local and other media. Finally, by the Fall of 2005, the NF will publish the Proposed Plan/Final EIS, issue a request for comments via the Federal Register, and again distribute press releases to local and other media.

Dixie & Fishlake National Forests A Collaborative Process for Forest Plan Revision

You are invited to help determine the next management plan direction for Dixie and Fishlake National Forests. A Handbook is available to provide you with general guidance to the work achieved so far and yet to occur, please contact one of the below sources for a copy. The Handbook explains key concepts of the forest planning process and the integrated collaborative public involvement process. Specifically, the handbook describes a unique approach for the public to work with the planning team on forestwide issues, as well as issues that affect local areas. There are several ways for you to participate, so that you and others can access the planning processes at the level of involvement that best suits your interests and needs.

Collaborative Process Facilitator: Susan Hayman, (208) 385-0128; E-mail: north_country@att.net

Convenor: Scott Truman, Utah Center for Rural Life, Ex. Dir.; (435) 586-5475; E-mail: Truman@suu.edu

Dixie NF: Contact — Tony Erba, Planner, or Frances Reynolds, Public Affairs Officer, (435) 865-3700

Fishlake NF: Contact — Frank Ray, Planner, (435) 896-9233

Please visit the Dixie/Fishlake National Forests, forest plan revision page on the Internet. Both forests are working together on a joint forest plan. A forest plan is the document that provides management direction for the many uses of a national forest. These multiple uses include, but are not limited to, outdoor recreation, range, timber, watersheds, fish & wildlife, wilderness etc. The public does play a major role in helping to shape the plan. The planning process provides ample opportunity for public input at key junctures throughout the planning process.

Starting in April, 2003 the FS will prepare a first draft of a forestwide vision document. In May-June, 2003 the public will be invited to participate in developing desired conditions at the geographic area level through a series of 10 local community workshops. In September-October, 2003, the public will be invited to participate in forestwide meetings where inventory and assessment information will be reviewed, as well as forestwide and geographic area desired conditions (based on the May-June workshop information).

October, 2003-February, 2004 will have Topical Work Groups convened to work with the Forest Service to complete the work group recommendations on forest-level issues such as range suitability, timber suitability, roadless area inventory and evaluation, dispersed recreation suitability, and motorized recreation suitability.

From November, 2003 through February, 2004, the public will be invited to participate in a series of local community workshops to complete, for each geographic area, the following: 1) finalize desired conditions, 2) develop objectives, 3) review standards, and 4) develop recommendations.

Then, in March, 2004, the Forest Service planning team will complete the recommendations from the Topical Work Groups and public workshops into a proposed management direction package.

Dixie National Forest additional public involvement opportunities

Forest Wide Project: Kathy Slack, Dixie National Forest, 1789 N. Wedgewood Lane, Cedar City, UT 84720; (435) 865-3700

Garkane Land Exchange: Escalante and Powell Ranger Districts to swap 40 acres with Garkane Power, Inc. to permit land holding consolidation around the Garkane Hydro-electric Power Plant in the Escalante RD.

Pine Valley Ranger District, 197 E. Tabernacle, St. George, UT 84770; (435) 652-3100: Examples

• Pine Valley Fuelbreak Analysis plan and construct defensible space to enable better fire protection;
• Iron County Road Right-of-Way widen access road to Irontown;
• Leap Creek Rehabilitation water pipeline installation; and
• Pine Valley Recreation Area comprehensive plan development and completion

Cedar City Ranger District, 1789 Wedgewood Lane, Cedar City, UT 84720; (435) 865-3200:

• Nine different analyses or projects are underway, from access management to fuels treatment, vegetation treatment, bridge replacement, truck escape ramp, watershed sagebrush project, and spring improvement.

Powell Ranger District, 225 East Center, P.O. Box 80, Panguitch, UT 84759; (435) 676-9300:

• Three different projects are underway, from a ponderosa pine vegetation management project to recreation term special use permits, and installation of wildlife guzzlers.

Escalante Ranger District, 755 West main, P.O. Box 246, Escalante, UT 84726; (435) 826-5400:

• Eight different projects are underway, from a special use permit to riparian area protection, fisheries enhancement/protection, prescribed burn, timber stand treatments, reassessment of management indicator species, livestock trailing, and SITLA land access.

Teasdale Ranger District, P.O. Box 99, Teasdale, UT 84773; (435) 425-9500:

• Six different projects are underway, from a vegetation manipulation related to the role of fire, campground development, road realignment, temporary and term special use permits, and dam/headgate removal/ replacement.