Planning

Planning for conservation means objectives as diverse as prescribed burns (setting fires to habitats at certain stages in their life cycle to ensure the understory is clear for animals and new growth), removal of non-native species, inventory and monitoring of threatened and endangered species, and more.

Planning for recreation means determining the amount of visitors a certain area can handle while taking conservation goals into account, developing and taking care of amenities for visitors, and ensuring that visitors have a pleasant experience on their natural lands.

Keeping these goals in mind, the National Forests in Florida develops a Forest Plan every 10-15 years, used as a framework for decision-making. Projects in the National Forests undergo public review and must adhere to the National Environmental Policy Act, or NEPA, before they are approved.