Planning
What is a Forest Plan?
Forest and grassland plans are Forest Service land management plans that “guide sustainable, integrated resource management of the resources within the plan area in the context of the broader landscape, giving due consideration to the relative values of the various resources in particular areas” (36 CFR 219.1(b)).
Why do we have Forest Plans?
Forest plans are required by the National Forest Management Act of 1976 (“NFMA”). Forest plans provide the forest with framework and direction to achieve integrated, long term desired conditions. It also provides a way for the public, other agencies, other governments and Tribes to understand what and why we make the decisions we do.
Species of Conservation Concern in Forest Planning
The Regional Forester identifies Species of Conservation Concern for land management plans developed under the 2012 planning rule. SCC are species for which the Regional Forester has substantial concern regarding their long-term persistence in the plan area. All SCC must be native and known to occur in the plan area.
Forest Plans
In addition to following Forest Service Directives, every national forest and grassland has a plan in place. There are 17 total for our 13 administrative units. All 17 plans have had amendments, which are considered part of the current plan. Forest plans do not include specific projects or activities. Other direction, guidance, and influence on how our National Forests and Grasslands implement Forest and Grassland Plans to manage resources to meet the Forest Service mission can be found on the Washington Office Ecosystem Management Coordination website.
For information on project or activity planning, go to the individual forests websites found on the Regional Offices page.
Forest Plan Revision
The Forest Service Planning Rule is the Federal regulation that sets the procedures and required content for forest plans. The 2012 Planning Rule is the first major update to Forest Service planning procedures in 30 years, reflecting decades of experience and lessons learned. An ecosystems focus is a key change emerging from 30 years of advancement in science and forest planning. Ensuring public participation in the development (and not just the review) of plans, and recognizing the key role of the public and partners in forest management under revised forest plans is another important change.
The Forest Service Directive System consists of the Forest Service Manual and Handbooks, which codify the agency's policy, practice, and procedure. The directives that help the Forest Service achieve the vision articulated in the 2012 Planning Rule are Forest Service Manual 1920 and Forest Service Handbook 1909.12.
Learn about the National Environmental Policy Act(NEPA).