Tongass National Forest plan revision open for public input

(Juneau, Alaska, February 17, 2026) — The Forest Service is announcing that it will be publishing a notice of intent in the Federal Register to revise the Tongass National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan and prepare an environmental impact statement. The notice opens a 30-day public comment period, inviting the public to provide input on strategies for future management of the 16.7-million-acre Tongass National Forest. 

Public comments will help identify changes that are needed to the current plan, adopted in 1997, to align with best available science, as well as laws and regulations, including Presidents Trump’s Executive Order 14225 – Immediate Expansion of American Timber Production to support American economies and improve forest health and Executive Order 14153 Unleash Alaska’s Extraordinary Resource Potential, benefitting the Nation and the American citizens who call Alaska home.

"We're taking another step forward in the process to modernize the Tongass National Forest plan by prioritizing long-term regional prosperity, adapting to 25 years of economic and ecological changes, and improving clarity of direction within the plan,” said Tongass National Forest Supervisor Monique Nelson. “This is another opportunity to work collaboratively with tribes, communities, partners, and the public to ensure the revised plan meets the needs and values of the public we serve.” 

Please submit comments via webform. Hardcopy letters must be submitted to the following address: Tongass National Forest, U.S. Forest Service, 648 Mission Street, Suite 110, Federal Building, Ketchikan, AK 99901. For those submitting hand-delivered comments, please call 907-519-8035 to make arrangements. 

For more information on the process, please visit the plan revision website or the project webpage.     

About the Forest Service: The USDA Forest Service has for more than 100 years brought people and communities together to answer the call of conservation. Grounded in world-class science and technology– and rooted in communities–the Forest Service connects people to nature and to each other. The Forest Service cares for shared natural resources in ways that promote lasting economic, ecological, and social vitality. The agency manages 193 million acres of public land, provides assistance to state and private landowners, maintains the largest wildland fire and forestry research organizations in the world. The Forest Service also has either a direct or indirect role in stewardship of about 900 million forested acres within the U.S., of which over 130 million acres are urban forests where most Americans live.

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