Coronado National Forest - Forest Plan Revision

Forest Service Announces Changes to the Forest Plan

Administrative Change #1 to the Forest Plan

This administrative change carries forward modifications and clarifications to the Coronado Forest Plan to address the decision made on appeals of the plan, follow the instructions given in that decision and provide the resolutions agreed to and offered in appeal resolution meetings with the appellants. The alternations made as part of this administrative change are listed in the attached document, “Coronado Forest Plan, Administrative Change per Appeal Resolutions, Administrative Change #1.” In this document, additions are indicated in bold, italicized text; deletions are indicated by strike-through text.

Appeal Decision Made for the Revised Forest Plan

The decision on the appeals of the FEIS and ROD for the revised Coronado Forest Plan has been made by the Chief of the Forest Service, and all parties to the appeals have been notified. This appeal decision is the final administrative determination of the Department of Agriculture unless the Secretary elects to review the decision.

There were two appeals of the revised plan, from the Arizona Game and Fish Department and the Sierra Club, Grand Canyon Chapter. The Forest Service worked with the appellants to resolve their appeal issues and based on the appeal issues resolution agreements made, the Arizona Game and Fish Department withdrew their appeal in its entirety. The Sierra Club informed the Forest Service that three of their appeal points have been resolved. The remaining appeal issues from the Sierra Club were reviewed by the Reviewing Officer for the Chief, and the decision was made to affirm the revised Coronado Forest Plan, with instructions given to add clarity on two appeal topics. The forest will follow these instructions and publish an administrative change that addresses them as well as the appeal resolution agreements made with the appellants.

The appeal period for the Coronado Revised Forest Plan closed September 20, 2018. To review appeals filed on the 2018 Forest Plan, scroll further down on this page.

Administrative Change #2 to the Forest Plan

This administrative change complies with the requirements of the 2012 Planning Rule by modifying and clarifying the Monitoring Strategy in Chapter 6 of the Coronado Forest Plan. The Forest prepared proposed changes to the monitoring strategy, specifically the transition from management indicator species (MIS) to focal species, identifying and monitoring for these focal species, and published these changes for public review and comment from August 12 to September 11, 2019. Comments were received from four reviewers, groups, and agencies. The Forest considered the comments and made some important changes to our proposal as a result of the insights provided. The resultant changes to the Coronado Forest Plan Monitoring Strategy (Chapter 6 of the Forest Plan) are described and listed in the document, ” Coronado Forest Plan, Administrative Change per 2012 Planning Rule Monitoring Transition to Focal Species.”

Summary

These administrative changes have been approved (approval letter) and an updated version of the Forest Plan and Appendix H are now posted to the Forest Plan and Final EIS webpage, along with replacement pages for both administrative changes.

Forest Service Announces an Opportunity to Comment During a 30-day Public Review Period on a Proposed Administrative Change to the Monitoring Plan of the Coronado National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan from Monitoring Management Indicator Species to Monitoring Focal Species.

Letter to Public

Coronado National Forest Monitoring Transition to Focal Species
 

Forest Service Announces the Release of the Revised Land and Resource Management Plan, Final Environmental Impact Statement and Record of Decision

On April 27, 2018, Regional Forester Calvin Joyner signed the Record of Decision (ROD) for the Coronado National Forest Final Environmental Impact Statement, (EIS), Appendix Vol. 2, Appendix Vol. 3, and Revised Land Management Plan (Plan). A Notice of Availability (NOA) will be published in the Federal Register on June 22, 2018, and the revised Plan will be implemented on July 22, 2018. This plan replaces the former (1986) Coronado National Forest Plan.

The publication of the final NOA and legal notice announces the availability of the Final EIS, Revised Forest Plan and ROD. The ROD documents the decision of the Forest Service to adopt the Revised Forest Plan and Final EIS. It includes a summary of the alternatives considered, a discussion of public involvement in the decision-making process, and the basis for making this decision. The ROD is based on an administrative record that includes the Coronado National Forest Revised Forest Plan, the Final EIS, and the record of the NEPA process for the development of the Revised Plan.

Four alternatives are presented in the final EIS. Alternatives considered include: the no action, the preferred action that includes four wilderness recommendations (Ku Chish, Mount Graham, Chiricahua Addition North and Whetstone), alternative one that includes sixteen wilderness recommendations and alternative two that has more opportunities for motorized recreation (45,117 acres).

There is a 30 day “cooling off period” before implementation of the plan begins, following the publication of the Notice of Availability in the Federal Register.  The opportunity to appeal the plan is limited to 90 days from the date of publication of the legal notice in the Arizona Daily Star.  The Coronado National Forest anticipates publishing the legal notice on June 22, 2018 which would have the appeal filing period closing September 20, 2018.

If you are interested in obtaining either a printed set of the documents (which is a 5 volume set totaling 2,000+ pages in length), please respond to the plan revision address provided at the end of this Update with your name and/or name of your organization (if applicable), and include a current mailing address.

Appeals filed on the 2018 Forest Plan
Wilderness Society
Sierra Club et al
Sierra Club et al attachment
Arizona Game and Fish Department
Arizona Game and Fish Department attachment one
Arizona Game and Fish Department attachment two

Monitoring Plan Transition

This fall/winter we will begin to transition the monitoring plan within the revised Plan to meet the requirements of the 2012 Planning Rule, which requires all forest plans prepared under the previous 1982 Planning Rule to include the monitoring requirements of the new Rule. Most of the 2012 Planning Rule requirements have been included in the revised Plan; however, the remaining requirement is for the inclusion of focal species. Focal species are used in lieu of management indicator species, which are required by the 1982 Planning Rule, to assess progress towards meeting diversity and ecological sustainability requirements. The revised Plan will not initially include focal species, and instead include the three previously identified management indicator species: Mexican spotted owl, acorn woodpecker, and Sonoran mud turtle.

As we wrap-up the completion of the revised Plan, we intend to begin the process for the selection of focal species, which will involve working with the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Arizona Department of Game and Fish. As we do so, we will keep the public informed of our progress at appropriate times. Once focal species have been selected and appropriate notice has been provided to the public, we will adjust the monitoring plan in the revised Plan to include those focal species. At the same time, we intend to remove the management indicator species that were required by the 1982 Planning Rule. At this point, the Forest will have completed the monitoring plan transition as required by the 2012 Planning Rule. 

Contact Us

As we move through this final phase of the forest plan revision process, we will continue to keep you informed of our progress. If you have questions, please contact Rose Robinson, Forest Planner, at (520) 388-8300 or comments-southwestern-coronado@fs.fed.us. Thank you again for your continued interest in the future of the Coronado National Forest!

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