Deschutes National Forest Hosts Listening Session on Northwest Forest Plan and Forest Plan Revision

Release Date: Apr 17, 2015

                                Jean Nelson-Dean, Public Affairs Officer, 541-383-5561

For Release:     April 16, 2015                                                                      

Deschutes National Forest Hosts Listening Session

Forest Plan Revision and Northwest Forest Plan to be discussed

BEND – The public will have an opportunity to discuss the Northwest Forest Plan and the future management of the Deschutes National Forest during a listening session to be held during the last week of April.

The listening session will be held on April 28, 2015 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Deschutes National Forest Office, 63095 Deschutes Market Road, in Bend.  

The listening session will briefly review the Northwest Forest Plan and the Deschutes National Forest’s Land and Resource Management Plan, discuss how science will inform future planning and provide an overview of forest planning processes and concepts.  Participants will then break into small groups to brainstorm ideas in response to broad questions related to forest planning, public engagement, and science.

“We know these national forest lands matter to people. As we review the Northwest Forest Plan and are in the very early stages of considering revising our Forest Plan, we want to hear from people about what is important to them about our national forest’s future  and how they want to be engaged in that future,” said John Allen, Deschutes Forest Supervisor.

A Land and Resource Management Plan, commonly called a Forest Plan, is a comprehensive document that provides broad direction for Forest Service land management activities. The current Land and Resource Management Plan for the Deschutes National Forest was published in 1990 and amended in 1994 by the Northwest Forest Plan.   Plan revision offers an opportunity to reflect on what needs for change may have arisen since that time, such as new science and new public interests, and how best to incorporate them into a management plan.

The Forest Service wants to emphasize that plan revision for the Deschutes National Forest is not immediately beginning and this listening session is just an initial opportunity for the public to discuss future management.  Plan revision is a long-term process that takes several years and the public will have many additional opportunities to be engaged in discussion with the Forest Service.

The Ochoco National Forest and Crooked River National Grassland will be hosting a similar listening session on Monday, April 27, 2015 from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Bowman Museum Annex in downtown Prineville, Ore.

For more information about the listening session in Bend, people can contact Susan Skakel at 541-383-5563.