Prescott National Forest

Prescott National Forest Plan Revision

	Forest Plan Revision
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Current Forest Plan

The current Prescott National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan was approved in 1987 and has been amended 17 times. We would like the revised plan to address the unique roles and contributions of our Forest and define the desired conditions and management objectives specific to us.

Southwestern Region USDA Forest Service - Forest Plan Revision Strategy

On June 30, 2009, the United States District Court for the Northern District of California issued a decision in Citizens for a Better Forestry v. United States Department of Agriculture ordering the Forest Service to cease the implementation and use of the 2008 planning rule*. The Forest Service is complying with the Court's decision. On August 14, 2009, Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack discussed his vision for management of the nation's forests. As part of his speech the Secretary requested that the Forest Service prepare a new planning rule. The Forest Service is working on that request now.

Here's the status of the planning rule and plan revision efforts in the Southwestern Region.

• Use of the 2008 planning rule has been discontinued.
• The 2000 planning rule is now in effect. The 2000 rule was amended twice from 2001 to 2004. These changes allow the Forest Service to use the 1982 rule procedures to amend or revise plans. The Forest Service will be using procedures from the 1982 planning rule and is working on how best to transition to these procedures.
• Arizona national forests and national grasslands managed by the Cibola National Forest continue work on revising their land management plans. Revision efforts will now continue under the 1982 planning rule procedures.
• Forest Service plan revision teams remain committed to working collaboratively with stakeholders. Planning activities such as public meetings that are independent of any specific planning rule will continue while we determine how best to transition to the 1982 rule procedures.
• Plan revision work completed to date remains valid and useful. We are evaluating how to organize and convert this work to fit the framework of the 1982 rule procedures.
• Until new National Forest Management Act rule making is completed, the Region will use the 1982 rule procedures for revision and amendment efforts.

As information becomes available, it will be shared and posted on our web sites. For additional information, please contact your local Forest Service office.

* A planning rule establishes a process that recognizes and documents social and economic values, and environmental protections. It directs what information is included in a forest plan and how that plan is prepared.

Documents

Our "On-line Files" section contains the important documents used or created for the plan revision process.

• Economic and Social Sustainability Report – Updated June 30, 2009
• Ecological Sustainability Report – April 2009
• Need for Change – expected September 2009

Public Participation

Public participation promotes better decisions and a greater understanding of those decisions; your participation is very important to us. See our "Get Involved-Contact Us" page.

Community Visions

In preparation for Forest Plan Revision, the Prescott National Forest Planning Team went to numerous communities to hear how they would like to see the Forest look like in the future. See the results of our Visioning Process.

USDA Forest Service - Prescott National Forest
Last Modified: Friday, 04 September 2009 at 18:26:12 EDT