Jackson Falls Visitor Use Management Plan
Calling all visitors, neighbors, and supporters of Jackson Falls!
The Shawnee National Forest is developing a Visitor Use Management Plan (VUMP) for the Jackson Falls area, and you are invited to be a part of the process. The VUMP will help guide future investments over time to ensure that Jackson Falls remains a safe and sustainable recreation destination.
We invite you to learn more about this effort by visiting the Jackson Falls StoryMap
Visit the Jackson Falls StoryMap
Your Involvement
Your involvement will help us develop a vision for the future. Here are a few ways you can be a part of the conversation.
Engagement Opportunity 1 - Initial Sensing
Thank you for providing input during the July 15 to August 15 open comment period for the Jackson Falls Engagement Opportunity 1. Engagement Opportunity 1 is now closed. More than 500 comments were received during this time. These comments will help the Shawnee National Forest identify desired conditions and potential management strategies for the area.
Stay tuned for more details regarding the Jackson Falls Engagement Opportunity 2 at which time strategies and design scenarios will be shared for additional feedback. Until that time, general inquiries can be directed to Chad Deaton (Shawnee National Forest Recreation Program Manager) or Alison Koopman (Eastern Region Recreation Planner). We appreciate you being a part of this initial engagement process for Jackson Falls and hope you will stay engaged!
Engagement Opportunity 2
Input on Design & Management Strategies Information collected through initial sensing will help inform potential management and design strategies at Jackson Falls. These strategies and design scenarios will be shared for additional feedback. More details to come.
Future Opportunity - National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Public Comment Periods
Development of the Jackson Falls Visitor Use Management Plan is not subject to requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). However, prior to making decisions as to its implementation, the Forest Service would need to evaluate the environmental and related social and economic effects of the proposed actions. In the future, as part of the NEPA process, you will have opportunities to review and comment on proposed actions and their evaluation.
Contacts
This collaborative visioning process is being led by the Shawnee National Forest with support of the USDA Forest Service Eastern Regional Office. For general inquiries, please reach out to Chad Deaton (Shawnee National Forest Recreation Program Manager) at chad.deaton@usda.gov or Alison Koopman (Eastern Region Recreation Planner) at alison.koopman@usda.gov.