Concurrent Processes

In September 2019, Forest Supervisor Chuck Mark announced the Salmon-Challis National Forest will evaluate the 1988 Salmon Forest Plan and the 1987 Challis Forest Plan separately. How the forests proceeds with these processes will be determined after thorough reviews of the existing forest plans.

  

  

In September 2019, Forest Supervisor Chuck Mark announced the Salmon-Challis National Forest will evaluate the 1988 Salmon Forest Plan and the 1987 Challis Forest Plan separately. How the forests proceeds with the Wilderness Inventory and Evaluation process will be determined after thorough reviews of the existing forest plans.

The Region 4 Wilderness Evaluation Process brochure, published in 2016, breaks the process down into four steps: inventory, evaluation, analysis, and recommendation. You can learn more about how the Salmon-Challis initiation this process by checking out our Wilderness Inventory and Evaluation StoryMap.

Wilderness Inventory and Evaluation Information

• Wilderness Meeting Questions and Comments (February 2019)
• Wilderness Update: Blackbird Mountain and Leacock Point (December 2018)
• Evaluation Areas Map -- Version 2 (December 2018)
• Mostly Roaded Areas Map (November 2018)
• Mostly Unroaded Areas Map (November 2018)
• Evaluation Areas Map -- Version 1 (November 2018)
• Wilderness Process Handout -- Version 2 -(December 2018)
• Wilderness Process Handout -- Version 1 (November 2018)
• Wilderness Process presentation slides (December 2018)
• Salmon-Challis National Forest Evaluation Process (November 2018, revised December 2018)
• Inventory Process Document (November 2018)
• Inventory Process Appendix A -- Substantially Noticeable Worksheets (November 2018)
• Inventory Process Appendix B --Inventory Areas Step 1 Map  (November 2018)

In September 2019, Forest Supervisor Chuck Mark announced the Salmon-Challis National Forest will evaluate the 1988 Salmon Forest Plan and the 1987 Challis Forest Plan separately. How the forests proceeds with the Wild and Scenic Rivers Eligibility and Suitability process will be determined after thorough reviews of the existing forest plans.

The 2012 Forest Service Planning Rule requires a Forest Plan to identify the eligibility of rivers for inclusion in the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System (NWSRS). The Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (WSR Act) of 1968 sets out the process for evaluating rivers for potential inclusion in the NWSRS. The WSR Act directs federal agencies to identify and evaluate potential rivers for inclusion in the NWSRS during agency planning. In broad terms, a river is appropriate for inclusion in the NWSRS if it is first determined to be (1) “eligible,” and then (2) determined to be “suitable.”

Eligibility

Eligibility is an inventory process that asks whether a river meets the minimum qualifications for inclusion in the NWSRS, while suitability asks whether it is appropriate to manage an eligible river within the NWSRS based on enumerated criteria such as public support and landownership status. Eligible rivers receive a preliminary classification of wild, scenic, or recreational based on the condition of the river and the level of development on adjacent lands.

Forest staff completed field reviews of segments listed in our Draft Wild and Scenic Rivers Eligibility Study and Report this fall.

Understanding that forest users have extensive knowledge of the waterways found on Salmon-Challis, we put together a Field Review Packet to help stakeholders who wish to conduct their own reviews. This packet provides a list of segments being reviewed, defines regions of comparison, and offers questions for each outstandingly remarkable value stakeholders can ask themselves developing their feedback. The packet also includes a template for submitting feedback and instructions for how to submit feedback.

In October 2018, we invited stakeholders on field review tours to explore two segments listed in the draft report. We visited Wildhorse Creek and Bear Valley Creek. Recreation Program Manager Nick Schade, who is overseeing the Wild & Scenic Rivers eligibility and suitability process, described the Wild & Scenic Rivers process and addressed the challenges of applying rigid standards to values that can be quite subjective. 

Suitability

The Salmon-Challis National Forest decided to complete the suitability step for Wild and Scenic Rivers as part of the forest plan revision process.  Because completing suitability is not required under the planning rule, we wanted to inform our stakeholders of the decision to complete this step. The suitability step involves determining which eligible rivers or river segments should be recommended to Congress as potential additions to the National System.  The suitability step makes this determination by addressing 5 questions: 

1. Should the river’s free-flowing character, water quality, and outstandingly remarkable values be protected, or are one or more other uses important enough to warrant doing otherwise?
2. Will the river’s free-flowing character, water quality, and outstandingly remarkable values be protected through designation? 
3. Will the benefits of designation exceed the benefits of non-designation?
4. Is designation the best method for protecting the river corridor? 
5. Is there a demonstrated commitment to protect the river by any non-Federal entities that may be partially responsible for implementing protective management?

The suitability step will be completed as part of the NEPA process and any final recommendations to Congress will be documented in the Record of Decision for the Forest Plan in 2020.  Opportunities to provide feedback on river suitability will be ongoing throughout the revision process and the Salmon-Challis National Forest will provide additional information as we continue to move through the Wild and Scenic River process.

Wild & Scenic Rivers Information

• Summary of Public Feedback on Draft Eligibility Report (December 2018)
• Wild & Scenic Rivers Suitability Process Document (December 2018)
• Field Review Worksheet (September 2018)
• Field Review Packet (September 2018)
• Wild & Scenic Rivers StoryMap  (updated with an online comment collector June 2018)
• Wild and Scenic Rivers Webinar (recorded April 26, 2018)
• Wild and Scenic Rivers Frequently Asked Questions (April 2018)
• Previous Wild and Scenic River Eligibility Studies
  • Challis National Forest 1989 Wild and Scenic River Eligibility Report (April 2018)
  • Challis National Forest 1992 Wild and Scenic River Eligibility Analysis (April 2018)
  • Salmon National Forest 1988 Wild and Scenic River Eligibility and Analysis (April 2018)
• Wild and Scenic Rivers Press Release (March 2018)
• Wild and Scenic Rivers Draft Eligibility Findings Fact Sheet (November 2017)
• Wild and Scenic Rivers Frequently Asked Questions (updated November 2017)
• Draft Wild and Scenic Rivers Eligibility Study and Report (November 2017)
• Final Inventory of Rivers to be Studied for Wild and Scenic River Eligibility (June 2017)
• Final Eligibility Study Process (June 2017)
• Summary of Public Feedback (June 2017)
• Wild & Scenic Rivers Public Participation Strategy (April 12, 2017)

In September 2019, Forest Supervisor Chuck Mark announced the Salmon-Challis National Forest will evaluate the 1988 Salmon Forest Plan and the 1987 Challis Forest Plan separately. How the forests proceeds with the Species of Conservation Concern process will be determined after thorough reviews of the existing forest plans.

Species of Conservation Concern are native plant and animal species that are known to occur on the Forest and that the Regional Forester has determined the best available scientific information indicates substantial concern about their capability to persist over the long-term on the Forest.

Our scientists review a number of sources to determine whether or not species exist on the Forest and, if so, to determine how significant the concern is for their long-term persistence on the Forest. Based on this analysis, the Forest Supervisor makes recommendations to the Regional Forester for species they conclude should be Species of Conservation Concern for their Forest. Final authority for approval of Forest Species of Conservation Concern reside with the Regional Forester.

Previously Released Information

• Salmon-Challis Process for Identifying Potential Species of Conservation Concern (May 2018)
• Salmon-Challis Potential Species of Conservation Concern Detailed Assessment Method (May 2018)
• Potential Species of Conservation Concern Draft List (November 2017)
• Species of Conservation Concern Process Graphic (April 2017)