What is a Forest Plan?
A forest land and resource management plan, or forest plan, provides broad program level direction for strategic management of the national forest land and its resources. Future projects carry out the direction in this forest plan by planning and implementing site-specific projects. The forest plan does not contain a commitment to select any specific project.
A plan:
· is developed through an ongoing public process and is science-based.
· uses the best available scientific information to inform the planning process.
· provides a framework for integrating management and for guiding project and activity decision-making.
· does not authorize projects or activities or commit the Forest Service to take action, or regulate uses by the public. In other words, no site-specific decisions are expected to be made in a forest plan.
· should not repeat laws, regulations or program management policies, practices and procedures that are in the Forest Service Directive System.
Cibola Forest Plan Organization by Chapter
Chapter 1 – Introduction
· Plan Area: Brief description of the area and map
· Plan Background: Purpose, development, content, organization, etc.
· Roles and Contributions: Every plan must describe the distinctive roles and contributions of the plan area to ecological, social, and economic sustainability within the broader landscape. This section describes the brief “niche” for each ranger district based on history, characteristics, etc. It also serves as the collective “vision” of the future for each unit and the Forest.
Chapter 2 – Forest-wide Desired Conditions and Strategies
Chapter 2 is organized by ecological and socioeconomic topics. Topics include forests, watersheds, recreation, cultural history, etc.
· Background and Description: This information is not plan direction, but it gives the reader a brief sense of the history and/or description of the resource topic area at the time of the writing of the plan. The background and description also lend context to the desired conditions.
· Desired Conditions: Desired conditions describe the specific social, economic, and/or ecological characteristics that are desired for the plan area, or a portion of the plan area. These are described in enough detail to gauge progress toward their achievement. All management activities should be aimed at achieving the desired condition. Desired conditions can be thought of as the set of goals that in part help define a collective vision for the National Forest in the future.
· Objectives: An objective is a concise, measurable, and time-specific statement of a desired rate of progress toward a desired condition or conditions and should be based on reasonably foreseeable budgets. Objectives outline the methods we will use to reach the desired conditions. Objectives are mileposts along the road toward desired conditions.
· Standards: Standards are the rules we will follow as we develop projects to accomplish objectives and move closer to the realization of desired conditions. These are mandatory constraints on projects and activities that are implemented with the Forest Plan.
· Guidelines: Guidelines are design criteria or constraints on projects and activities. Like standards, they are mandatory constraints on projects and activities that are implemented with the Forest Plan, but unlike standards, deviations may occur as long as the intent of the guideline is met.
· Management Approaches: Management approaches do not offer plan direction and are not required components, but describe to the reader an approach or strategy to manage the unit to achieve a desired condition. Management approaches often convey how plan components work together to achieve the desired condition. They may also describe context, intent, priorities, partnership opportunities or coordination activities, needs for surveys, inventories or assessments, or approaches to risk and uncertainty. Not every resource topic area has a management approach heading. Changes to management approaches do not require plan amendments. Common management approaches to several topical areas could be summarized in one section.
Chapters 3-6 – Geographic Area- and Management Area-specific Desired Conditions and Strategies
· Geographic or Management Areas: Every plan must have geographic areas (GAs) or management areas (MAs) or both. These areas are delineated to provide specific management direction that differs from forestwide direction. This specific direction may be for a GA such as a ranger district or a subset of watersheds or mountain ranges. Geographic areas are based on place, while MAs are based on purpose. Not every acre of the plan area needs to be assigned to a GA or MA. Management Areas may be identified within the GAs. At this time, the Cibola expects to delineate GAs that mimic the respective mountain ranger districts on the Cibola.
· Designated Areas or Areas Recommended for Designation: Areas that have unique features or special purposes may be managed to maintain their special character. Some are designated by statute such as wilderness areas or national scenic trails. Some may be established administratively through the forest planning process such as botanical or cultural areas.
· All of the above types of areas will have desired conditions, objectives, guidelines and/or standards specific to the area.
Chapter 7 – Suitability
National Forest lands are generally suitable for a variety of uses consistent with the purposes for which they are administered (outdoor recreation, livestock grazing, timber, watershed, and wildlife and fisheries). Lands within a plan area identified as suitable for various multiple uses or activities must be consistent with the desired conditions applicable to those lands. Areas that are not suitable for a particular activity or use are those where the use is not compatible with desired conditions for the area. This does not mean the use is prohibited in that area, but the activity or project would require a NEPA decision. The suitability of lands need not be identified for every use or activity, nor for every acre of the plan area. The identification of an area as suitable for various uses is guidance for project and activity decision-making and is not a commitment or a final decision approving projects and activities. The only required suitability analysis in a forest plan is for timber suitability.
· Timber Suitability: Every plan must identify those lands that are not suitable for timber production as required by the National Forest Management Act. Areas unsuitable for timber production are those that are either not desirable or not feasible to manage for periodic harvests of forest products. For example, grassland restoration may require cutting trees which can be sold, but the intent is to maintain the area as a grassland, not for timber production.
Chapter 8 – Monitoring
· Monitoring Program: Every plan must include a monitoring program. Monitoring information enables the responsible official to determine if a change in plan components or other plan content that guide management of resources on the plan area may be needed.
Other Sections
Glossary and Acronyms: Defines technical terms and acronyms
· Literature Cited: Summary of scientific citations and publications
· Appendix A - Proposed and Possible Actions: Every plan must describe proposed and possible actions that may occur during the life of the plan. These include: restoration activities and the probable and estimated vegetation management practices expected to be used.
· Appendix B - Other Sources of Information: Includes existing laws, regulations, policies, and other guidance that will be incorporated into the plan. These sources are important in designing projects and activities to achieve desired conditions. Most of these documents are available from Forest Service offices. Many are posted on the Cibola National Forest Internet Web site.
· Other Appendices: Additional topics that may require further detail or maps, including.
o Priority Watersheds: Every plan must identify watersheds that are impaired or at risk for restoration
o Planned Timber Sale Program, Timber Harvesting Levels.