Planning
The Bitterroot National Forest is responsible for managing over 1.6 million acres of federal land in Montana and Idaho. These lands possess resources and values of economic, social and environmental importance to the Region. They are managed for multiple uses using public input, sound ecological principles and the best available science. Public benefits take the form of clean water, wood and paper products, a high quality environment for outdoor recreation, wilderness preservation, forage for grazing livestock, and abundant fish and wildlife.
The Bitterroot, as with all National Forests and Grasslands, has a Land and Resources Management Plan (LRMP) prepared in compliance with the National Forest Management Act (NFMA). The purpose of the LRMP is to guide all natural resource management activities for a 10-15 year period.
The Bitterroot Forest Plan was developed under the authority of the 1982 Planning Rule. In 2012, the US Forest Service adopted a new planning rule that will direct future forest plan revisions. The 2012 Planning Rule (26 CFR 219) requires us to modify our forest monitoring program by May 9, 2016 to meet the Planning Rule's monitoring requirements. We have reviewed our monitoring program to meet the new requirements and based on public input made the necessary changes.
Please select the following links for more information:
- Monitoring transition letter to the public
- Transition information – updated monitoring program
The purpose of the biennial monitoring and evaluation report (BMER) is to help the responsible official determine whether a change is needed in forest plan direction, such as plan components or other plan content that guide management of resources in the plan area. Providing timely, accurate monitoring information to the responsible official and the public is a key requirement of the monitoring program. This BMER is the vehicle for disseminating this information.
This BMER represents one part of the Forest Service’s overall monitoring program for this national forest unit. This report is not a decision document – it evaluates monitoring questions presented in the Bitterroot National Forest Plan.
The Forest Plan guides all natural resource management activities and establishes management standards for the Bitterroot National Forest. It describes resource management practices, levels of resource production and management, and the availability and suitability of lands for resource management.