Planning
There are almost 21 million acres of National Forests and Grasslands in the Southwestern Region. These lands are special to those who live here or visit. They play a key role in our daily lives.
How We're Managing the Lincoln National Forest
The Lincoln National Forest manages:
- One point one million acres of southeastern New Mexico
- Three majestic mountain ranges with elevations ranging from 4,000 to 11,500 feet
- Diverse ecosystems from Chihuahuan desert to sub-alpine forest.
- A wide range of outdoor activities, including hiking, picnicking, mountain biking, camping, and dirt bike riding.
Forest Plans determine the management direction and guidance for each National Forest and National Grassland. These Forest Service land management guides are developed, under the National Forest Management Act (NFMA).
Discover the World Around You!
The Lincoln National Forest's plans and revisions contain information about current and desired conditions, vegetation, fish and wildlife habitats, water and soils, wildernesses, cultural and historic resources, diversity of plant and animal communities, wild and scenic rivers, sustainable recreation, fire and fuels management and much more.
These reports, assessments, maps and plans are available for you to review. They are a great way to learn more about your federal lands!
Forest Plan, Amendments and Corrections
The Forest Land and Resource Management Plan is an important document that governs forest management, and it provides the underlying rules and guidelines for work on the forest. It was written in 1986, and as the landscape, science, and technology changed, the plan was amended numerous times.
The Forest Land and Resource Management Plan (FLRMP) provides the underlying rules, guidelines, and much more that the Lincoln works within. The links to the documents can be found below.
Forest Plan Revision
The Lincoln National Forest is in the process of revising the land management plan. Our new plan will continue to promote a healthy and productive Lincoln National Forest.
The Forest Land and Resource Management Plan provides the underlying rules and guidelines for all work completed in the forest.
We are revising the Forest Land and Resource Management Plan (aka the Forest Plan). We invite you to work with us to develop a new plan that promotes a healthy, diverse, and productive Lincoln National Forest.
Public involvement is encouraged throughout the process through formal 'scoping' and 'comment' periods along with other avenues to be determined.
- Final Assessment
- Draft Assessment
- (After we recieved public comments, these documents were edited and became the Final Assessment. We are leaving them here so you can track the changes.)
- Need for Change Document (Final)
- Preliminary Draft Plan (Final)
The Draft Forest Plan and The Draft Environmental Impact Statement were open for public comment Aug 6 to Nov 5, 2021.
Overview of the Draft Forest Plan and Draft Environmental Impact Statement
Full Documents
The Planning Process
The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) exists to ensure federal agencies consider the environmental impacts of their actions and decisions. There are three levels of analysis under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). They are categorical exclusion, environmental assessment, and environmental impact statement. There are multiple steps involved with each process.