Carson National Forest

Carson National Forest Plan Revision

Plan Revision Process

Welcome to the Carson’s Forest Plan Revision page. The forest plan provides strategic direction to guide management of the forest resources and is a framework for decision making on site specific projects and activities. The Carson National Forest is currently in the process of revising its existing 1986 Forest Plan under the 2012 Planning Rule. Under the 2012 Planning Rule, plan revision involves three distinct phases: (1) assessment of the current conditions and trends of forest resources and multiple uses; (2) development of a revised plan; and (3) monitoring and implementation of the final approved plan.

Where are we now in the process?

The Draft Plan/Draft EIS comment period has closed. We are responding to comments and making adjustments to the plan and analysis, as appropriate. We hope to release a draft final plan/EIS/Record of Decision by late spring of 2020.

Forest Plan Revision Schedule

The Carson National Forest began revising its forest plan in 2014 using extensive public involvement and best available science under the new planning guidelines. The following table outlines the planning phases, process and activities.

Process/Product	Activity	Proposed Date
Assessment (Completed)	Evaluate existing and relevant data and information Assess sustainability of social, economic and ecological resources within the plan area and a broader landscape Begin public involvement and communication processes	September 2015
Species of Conservation Concern (SCC) (In progress)	Evaluate existing and relevant data and information about species indicating substantial concern about the species’ capability to persist over the long term in the Carson National Forest. Begin communication and public input on Potential SCCs. Concurrence of Potential SCC List with Regional Forester. Final SCC when Final Forest Plan Decision is signed.	Release date: May 2015 Approved Potential List March 2016 Updated 2019 Final List Spring 2021
Plan Need to Change (Completed)	Utilizes information gathered from the assessment. Reviews key findings Highlights areas of the 1986 Forest Plan that need to be updated in the revised forest plan	September 2015
Public Involvement and Comments on Assessment, SCCs, Forest Plan Need to Change (Completed)	Obtain public feedback on Assessment, SCCs, and Plan Need to Change	September 2015
Notice of Intent (Completed)	Notification to Revise the land management Plan in Federal Register with a 45 scoping period for public comment on the Proposed Action	October 2015
Wilderness Inventory and Evaluation Process (Completed)	Initiate process for wilderness recommendation to determine what forest lands may be potentially eligible for designation as Wilderness as required by 2012 Planning Rule	Inventory March 2016 Evaluation September 2016
Public Involvement during Wilderness (In Progress)	Obtain public feedback on each step of wilderness process	Fall 2017-2018
Eligible Wild and Scenic Rivers (In Progress)	Obtain public feedback on Wild and Scenic River eligibility evaluation	Process document April 2017 Evaluation v1 September 2017 Evaluation v2 January 2018 Evaluation v3 April 2019
Preliminary Draft Proposed Plan (Completed)	Address potential desired conditions, management objectives, and other plan components based on needs to change Release for public comment Identify issues raised by the public and develop alternatives to address the issues	July 2017- Forest-wide Plan Components and (v1) December 2017-Forest-wide, Designated Areas, and Management Areas (v2)
Public Involvement during Preliminary Draft Proposed Plan (Completed)	Obtain public feedback on Preliminary Draft Proposed Plan, management areas, and alternatives	Winter 2017- 2018
Draft Proposed Plan and Draft EIS (Completed)	Develop a draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) that analyzes the effects upon the environment of each of the Plan alternatives	Summer 2019
Public Comments on Draft Plan and EIS (Completed)	Obtain public feedback for at least 90 days on proposed plan and draft EIS Comments are used to prepare a final EIS	Fall 2019
Final Plan, EIS and Record of Decision (ROD) (In Progress)	Based on comments received during comment period, Final EIS is prepared Final EIS includes FS responses to comments received during comment period Draft Record of Decision (identifies the preferred alternative) is prepared	Draft final versions available winter 2020
Objection Process	Prior to approving the preferred alternative, the public may raise issues related to the Plan revision and suggest ways to improve the plan decision Final EIS and Draft ROD are made available for objection Objections must be filed within 60 days following public notice date Regional Forester reviews objections within 90 days after objection-filing period ends and renders written response	Early 2021
Final Decision	Based on objection review and response, final Record of Decision is made by the Carson National Forest Supervisor	Spring 2021
Implementation and Monitoring	Forest Service implements the Plan and begins on-going monitoring	Summer 2021