Planning
Forest planning helps us chart a long-term path for healthy, resilient landscapes—and shapes the on-the-ground projects that bring these plans to life. Whether we're restoring wildlife habitat or reducing wildfire risk through a local project, or updating a forest plan to reflect today's conditions, planning and using the National Environmental Policy Act, or NEPA, as our framework, is how we make thoughtful, informed decisions for the future of our National Forests.
Current Forest Plans
A Forest Plan— sometimes called a Land and Resource Management Plan—sets the strategic direction for how each National Forest is managed. Forest Plans provide the guidance for subsequent project level planning. Each forest plan includes:
- Desired Conditions – The long-term outcomes we aim for
- Objectives – Measurable steps toward those conditions
- Standards & Guidelines – Guardrails for activities like recreation, grazing, and logging
- Suitability Determinations – Where and how different uses are allowed
- Management Areas – Places with unique characteristics or priorities
These are digitized versions of the original, printed Forest Plans.
Northwest Forest Plan and Amendment
The Northwest Forest Plan covers 24.5 million acres of federally managed lands in California, Oregon, and Washington. It was established in 1994 to address threats to threatened and endangered species while also contributing to social and economic sustainability in the region. After nearly 30 years, the Northwest Forest Plan needs to be updated to accommodate changed ecological and social conditions.
Late-Successional Reserve Assessment
The Northwest Forest Plan requires that an assessment be completed for each Late-Successional Reserve or group of Late-Successional Reserves before active management of those areas can occur. The Late-Successional Reserve Assessment provides a broad scale description of the resources and issues which affect late-successional habitat, and describes management objectives and a desired future condition, providing context for decision making under the Northwest Forest Plan.
The Late-Successional Reserve Assessment for the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest was revised in May 2024. Revision brought the original assessments, completed over 25 years ago for the Wenatchee and Okanogan National Forests, up-to-date with current conditions on the ground, incorporated latest science, and revised management recommendations.