Planning
Past Forest Plans Forest Plan Revision Existing Forest Plan
Roadless Rule SASS-FM Monitoring
Tongass Land Management Plan (Forest Plan)
Each National Forest and Grassland in the United States is governed by a Land Management Plan (Forest Plan) in accordance with the National Forest Management Act of 1976. Forest Plans set desired conditions, standards, and guidelines for management, protection, and use of the Forest and includes monitoring of progress toward achieving those desired conditions. The Tongass National Forest Plan was originally developed over 25 years ago, in 1997. Since then, there have been many social and resource changes. Scientific information and methodology have evolved. A few of these changes were addressed in amendments to the original Forest Plan (see information on Tongass Forest Plan Amendments and Administrative Changes).
Forest Plan Monitoring and Evaluation Program
The Monitoring and Evaluation Program helps guide resource management on the Tongass National Forest. Monitoring questions and indicators are designed to test relevant assumptions, track relevant changes, and measure management effectiveness and progress toward achieving Forest Plan desired conditions and objectives. Biennial monitoring reports evaluate information gathered in the two previous years, enabling the Responsible Official to determine if changes are needed to the associated Forest Plan components or content.
Monitoring and evaluation is a quality control process for implementation and provides evaluation of the effectiveness of the Forest Plan. It provides the public, the Forest Service, and other concerned resource agencies with information on the progress and results of plan implementation. Monitoring and evaluation comprise an essential feedback mechanism within an adaptive management framework to keep the Plan dynamic and responsive to changing conditions.
Forest Plan Five-Year Review
The Record of Decision (ROD) prepared for the 2016 Tongass Land and Resource Management Plan (Forest Plan) amendment included several commitments that were established to promote learning and adaptive management on the Forest. The ROD stated that there would be a status update completed on some of these commitments both five years after plan implementation, and some with a review happening ten years after implementation.
The Forest Service has completed the five-year review and have compiled a status update for the identified commitments.
In late 2022, the Forest Service partnered with the State of Alaska to convene a Tongass Transition Collaborative (TTC) to conduct a review on this five-year status update. The TTC has recently completed the review and has provided recommendations that have been submitted to the Forest Service and are currently in review.
Tongass National Forest Plan Revision
New planning rules require that a Forest Plan will be revised at least every 15 years. Forest Plans do not make site-specific decisions, such as where to put a recreation trail. Rather, they guide future uses of the forest by creating standards for projects and activities. Plans are created to protect resources, support sustainable economies and communities, and maintain healthy ecosystems. A plan revision, which adheres to these new planning rules is the next step for the Tongass National Forest, and is planned to begin in 2024. Carefully balancing multiple uses will be an important part of the Tongass Forest Plan revision. Meaningful dialogue with Tribes, partners, agencies and the public throughout the process will be essential to the success of revising the Tongass Forest Plan. We will strive to create a process where all voices and perspectives can be heard (see engagement opportunities at the Forest Plan Revision webpage).
2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule
On January 26, 2023, USDA repealed the 2020 Alaska Roadless Rule and returned roadless management on the Tongass to the regulatory regime previously in force, resulting in the reinstatement of the 2001 Roadless Rule as provided for in the U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska's Judgment in Organized Village of Kake v. USDA, 776 F. Supp. 2d 960 (D. Alaska 2011). The intent of the 2001 Roadless Rule is to provide lasting protection for Inventoried Roadless Areas in the context of overall multiple-use land management.
The following link to the Forest Service Roadless Area Conservation website provides the most current roadless information: www.fs.usda.gov/roadless.
Southeast Alaska Sustainability Strategy - Forest Management (SASS-FM)
On July 15, 2021, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the new Southeast Alaska Sustainability Strategy (SASS) to support a diverse economy, enhance community resilience, and conserve natural resources in Southeast Alaska.
In alignment with SASS, the Forest Service is refocusing resources on the Tongass National Forest to implement an integrated forest management program that includes watershed and wildlife habitat restoration, sustainable young-growth harvest, and old-growth harvest for small timber sales and cultural uses.
Visit the SASS website for the most up-to-date information.