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Planning

National Forest Management Act

Forest Planner

Each National Forest and grassland is governed by a management plan in accordance with the National Forest Management Act (NFMA). These plans set management, protection and use goals and guidelines. Monitoring conditions on a forest or grassland ensures projects are done in accordance with plan direction and determines effects that might require a change in management.

Forest Plan

The 2006 Land and Resource Management Plan (2006 Forest Plan) provides strategic guidance for resource management activities on the Ottawa National Forest (the Ottawa). This direction applies to the National Forest System land only under Forest Service management. It establishes: Forest-wide multiple-use goals and implementation objectives; Forest-wide management requirements (known as Forest-wide standards and guidelines); management area direction, including area-specific standards and guidelines, desired conditions and management practices; identification of lands suited/not suited for timber management and monitoring and evaluation requirements.

Please remember that many of these documents and maps are large and may take a few minutes to download. If you experience any problems, please call at 906-932-1330 or email us.

2006 Land and Resource Management Plan

 

Monitoring and Evaluation Reports

In March 2006, the Ottawa 2006 Land and Resource Management Plan (Forest Plan) was approved, replacing the 1986 Forest Plan. The Forest Plan provides guidance for all resource management activities on the Ottawa. To determine the efficacy of a Forest Plan, the National Forest Management Act (NFMA) regulations (36 CFR 219) require regularly scheduled monitoring and evaluation. The purpose of this Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Report is to determine and disclose whether resource management activities conducted on the Ottawa are meeting management direction and multiple use objectives described in the Forest Plan.

Monitoring tasks are scaled to the Forest Plan, program or project. Monitoring is not performed on every single activity, nor is it expected to meet the statistical rigor of formal research. If budget levels limit the Ottawa’s ability to perform all monitoring tasks, then those specifically required by law are given highest priority.

Last updated March 12th, 2025