2723.32 - Monument

1. Memorial Plaques.

a. Situation Statement. For many years people have asked Forest managers for permission in placing memorial plaques for relatives who have had some connection with the National Forest. Many times the memorial proposed has involved a bronze or brass cast plaque to be anchored to a rock or structure on the Forest. This type of memorial placement benefits only the surviving relatives of the deceased and has very little educational or interpretive value to the Forest and the public visitor.

b. Direction. A permit shall be required before any monument, memorial, or plaque is placed on National Forest lands. A structure or a benefit to the Forest may be included along with or in lieu of the memorial plaque. Forest officers should encourage something of benefit to the Forest visitor and the National Forest. Examples are an interpretive sign with a memorial donation credit, a trail overlook with a resting bench, a fund to renovate or maintain an existing fire lookout, or tree planting in a clear-cut unit.

Affixing a plaque to a structure in place will require cultural resource consultation. If a deceased person only worked on, supplied, or operated a structure, a sign could be researched that described the whole story--not just the portion concerning the deceased.

No memorial plaques or memorial structures will be placed in wilderness or proposed wilderness areas.

Small routed signs in memory of a deceased person and a short history of that person's contributions to the Forest shall be maintained by the survivor group. The donated structure or facilities would become the property of the U.S. Government and would be maintained by the Forest Service. Designs for structures or other improvements shall conform to Forest Service design standards and be reviewed by facilities engineers prior to issuance of a permit to begin such work.