Next round of public meetings set
The Forest Service will hold the next round of public meetings this October and November to share information about the proposed Nantahala and Pisgah National Forest Plan, including potential management areas and desired conditions.
The plan will guide management of the Nantahala-Pisgah National Forests for the next 15-20 years.
The meeting will open with a presentation on significant issues, management areas, and the development of plan components. The Forest Service planning team will share some proposed desired condition statements and information about watersheds and recreation settings during an open poster session.
Each of the scheduled meetings will be from 4:30-7:30 p.m., will follow the same agenda and present the same information and opportunity for review and comment.
Meeting dates and locations:
- Pisgah Ranger District: Oct. 21 at the Forge Valley Event Center in Mills River;
- Nantahala Ranger District: Oct. 28 at the Tartan Hall in Franklin;
- Appalachian Ranger District: Nov. 3 at Mars Hill College, Broyhill Chapel in Mars Hill;
- Tusquitee Ranger District: Oct. 30 at the Tri-County Comm. College, Enloe Building in Murphy;
- Cheoah Ranger District: Nov. 6 at the Graham County Community Center in Robbinsville;
- Grandfather Ranger District: Nov. 13 at McDowell Tech. Comm. College, Room 113 in Marion
The Western North Carolina Alliance will be informing citizens and facilitating their participation in the plan revision process, which will occur over a three-to-four year period. It begins with the Assessment Phase, which will take about a year to complete. During this phase, the Forest Service will collect and compile data and other information on the current state of the Nantahala and Pisgah National Forests. The Planning Phase, which follows the Assessment Phase, will take two to three years to complete. After the plan is completed, the Monitoring Phase will begin and continue until the next plan revision.
In the coming months, the Forest Service will provide details on meetings and other information that foster public participation in the plan revision process. Information about the plan revision process is available online here.
Originally published in 1987, the plan received a significant amendment in 1994. Each national forest and grassland is governed by a management plan in accordance with the National Forest Management Act. These plans set management, protection and use goals and guidelines.
The 2012 Planning Rule guides the planning process. The rule includes stronger protections for forests, water and wildlife, while supporting the economic vitality of rural communities. It requires the use of the best available scientific information to inform decisions. The 2012 rule strengthens the role of public involvement and dialogue throughout the planning process.
Join WNCA and others who love our public lands from 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. July 10 at the Crowne Plaza Resort in downtown Asheville. The meeting is part of the ongoing Nantahala and Pisgah National Forests Plan Revision and will focus on the areas outlined below.
In each section, we have also listed the concerns that WNCA’s Public Lands program staff would like to see addressed during each session.
We hope you’ll join us on July 10 and have your say about the future of these precious National Forests!
Wildlife Session (9-11:30 a.m.)
· The Forest Service has been narrowly focused on wildlife species that benefit from human disturbance, such as logging;
· A more inclusive consideration of wildlife and wildlife needs is needed to have a balanced plan;
· There are many rare species that prefer mature forest – these species are just as important as those that prefer young forests;
· Aquatic species need the same level of attention as terrestrial species;
· Of particular concern are species, like salamanders, that can’t move long distances.
Wild and Scenic River Session (11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.)
· Wild and Scenic Designation protects the water quality and scenery of rivers and streams;
· Eligible Rivers, such as the Nolichucky, should be recommended for designation;
· Other streams, like Santeetlah Creek, that meet Wild and Scenic criteria should be added to the list of eligible streams;
Ecological Integrity Session (1 – 3:30 p.m.)
· Ecological integrity is a key component of the 2012 Forest Service Planning Rule;
· Ecological integrity is defined as “the ability of an ecological system to support and maintain a community of organisms that has species composition, diversity, and functional organization comparable to those of natural habitats within a region.” [The Nature Conservancy 2003];
· “Plans will include plan components to maintain or restore ecological integrity, so that ecosystems can resist change, are resilient under changing conditions, and are able to recover from disturbance.” [2012 Planning Rule];
· Providing for connectivity of natural habitats by preventing or reducing fragmentation caused by roads and development is an important concept of ecological integrity, as is protecting core forest areas, like roadless portions of our National Forest;
· Protecting riparian forests and wetlands and eliminating artificial barriers, like culverts and dams, is important to the ecological integrity of aquatic systems;
· The strongest tool for protecting ecological integrity in the Forest Service planning rule is requiring the Forest Service to define the Natural Range of Variation of ecosystems on each forest;
· The Natural Range of Variation describes the range of conditions expected from natural ecosystems and is a dynamic concept that allows ecosystem changes that are not artificial.
For more information, contact
Public Lands Biologist Josh Kelly at Josh@WNCA.org
You can also learn more about the Forest Plan Revision process and get further details about the July 10 meeting here.
(US Forest Service)
Asheville Citizen-Times: April 6, 2014
“The public can give input on their favorite forest views, as well as how the U.S. Forest Service manages wilderness, specially designated areas and scenic views at an April 17 meeting at Crowne Plaza Resort. This public session is the latest in the three-phase, multiyear process of revising the Nantahala and Pisgah National Forests Management Plan.
Forest Service planner Ruth Berner said the plan, expected to be completed by 2016, will guide management of Nantahala and Pisgah forests on how to manage for timber, wildlife, water, recreation and other uses, for the next 15 years.
Nantahala and Pisgah are two of four national forests in North Carolina, covering more than 1 million acres of the Western North Carolina mountains. Pisgah and Nantahala are among the most visited national forests in the nation, with more than 6 million visitors a year.”
MEETING DETAILS:
The U.S. Forest Service will hold a discussion on wilderness and special designated areas from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. April 17, with a drop-in session on the Scenery Management System following, at the Crowne Plaza Resort, 1 Resort Drive, Asheville.
To participate in the wilderness and/or designated areas discussion, RSVP to NCPlanRevision@fs.fed.us by Thursday. For more information on the plan, or to comment, click here.
To send comments, use the comment link on the above website, or click here.
