Planning

All natural resource management activities are guided by land and resource management plans. Land and resource management plans (Forest Plans) are required by the 1976 National Forest Management Act for each National Forest unit in the country. They describe forest-wide goals and objectives, management area desired resource conditions, standards and guidelines for implementation of projects, levels of resource production and management, and the availability of suitable land for resource management.

There are separate Forest Plans for the Green Mountain National Forest and Finger Lakes National Forests. The Forest Plans are strategic documents with an emphasis on ecological, social and economic sustainability over the long-term.  Forest Service staff developed the Forest Plans through robust public collaboration that played a large role in shaping our management direction.

We invite you to stay informed and involved as we move ahead with site-specific project planning to implement the Forest Plans.