Goals for the Hoosier NF
The following eight goals
present broad statements of the overall purpose of the Forest.
Conservation of Threatened and Endangered
Species Habitat
The
Hoosier will aid in delisting endangered and threatened species, maintain an
array of habitats to meet the needs of a variety of species, and potentially
prevent the need to list additional sensitive species. The Forest is
committed to the conservation and recovery of threatened, endangered, and
proposed species and their habitats. As a Forest, we consistently put a
high value on the restoration and recovery of native plant and wildlife
species and the protection and conservation of those species that most need
help to ensure they continue to be a viable component of the Hoosier
National Forest.
In cooperation with
the USDI Fish and Wildlife Service and appropriate State agencies, the
Forest has established management objectives, including mitigating measures,
for conservation of these species. This Plan fulfills Endangered Species
Act Section 7(a)(1) obligations for conservation of Federally listed
threatened, endangered, and proposed species. The basic objective is to
design projects in a
manner that ensures management activities will not adversely affect habitat
of threatened or endangered species.
Maintain and Restore Sustainable
Ecosystems
The
Forest recognizes the inherent value of evolving natural in the area it
manages. Their variety adds value to our lives and reflects the power and
permanence of our natural world. These ecosystems are a barometer of the
quality of land management. Ecosystems, with their natural variety of
species, genetic make-up, and ecological processes, are key to providing the
diversity needed to be resilient in the face of environmental disturbances.
To be sustainable, each ecosystem must include viable populations of its
component species. The Forest intends to maintain and restore individual
communities within the ecological capabilities of the landscape.
This
goal includes restoration and maintenance of plant and wildlife species and
their habitat components. All ecosystems will be recognized and enhanced,
based on site capabilities. The capabilities of each site will be
identified at a site-specific level and the basic integrity of air, soil,
and water resources protected.
Some components of
this goal are:
·
Emphasize
native plant and animal species and communities in management.
·
Develop and
maintain stands of the appropriate composition and structure to meet
management goals; and when possible, provide for interconnecting corridors.
·
Use
vegetation management to perpetuate and enhance biological diversity.
Intersperse vegetative types to provide viable habitat for native species.
·
Protect cave
resources from potential surface and subterranean impacts.
·
Protect
areas that have significant natural characteristics or represent relatively
undisturbed examples of important forest ecosystems.
·
Emphasize
prevention and control in the integrated pest management program through
appropriate means.
·
Use
prescribed fire to maintain fire-adapted ecosystems, to promote a more
diverse community of plants and animals, and to manage accumulated fuels.
·
Control and
prevent the spread of nonnative invasive species.
The goal of watershed health reaffirms the historic mission of the Hoosier
for watershed protection and restoration. The driving force for
establishing the Hoosier was to stabilize and restore eroding lands and
protect watersheds from sediment. This goal emphasizes collaborative
stewardship of watersheds and interrelated biological, economic, and social
factors that affect these areas. The Forest will contribute to the
restoration of water quality and soil productivity to improve the condition
of those watersheds impacted by past land use practices.
Protect our Cultural Heritage
The
goal is to protect significant heritage resources, to share their values
with the American people, and to contribute relevant information and
perspectives to natural resource management.
Some components of
this goal are:
·
Stewardship
emphasizes protection of heritage resources including identification,
evaluation, preservation, scientific investigation, interpretation, and
proactive law enforcement.
·
Interprets a
variety of sites for the public to bring the past alive and illustrate
relevance to the issues and challenges of today and the future.
·
Provide
opportunities for recreation experiences, public education, development of a
conservation ethic, and an appreciation of common links with the past.
·
Integrate
historical and cultural data at the landscape level to provide context for
natural resource management.
Emphasize natural-appearing landscapes, with attention given to views from
roads, trails, and high use areas. Visual quality will be considered in all
management activities.
To
the extent possible, Forest management activities, roads, and facilities are
to blend with their settings. With design, timing, and care, minimal
disturbance and disruption of the natural setting will occur. Long-term
visual goals are not necessarily negated by short-term disruption of visual
character.
Provide for Recreation Use in Harmony with
Natural Communities
The
Forest provides an opportunity for outdoor recreational experiences
consistent with protection of the Forest’s natural resources.
The
Forest fills a much-needed niche in Indiana by offering recreational
experiences not readily available or otherwise in short supply such as long
distance trails, wilderness, water-based, and dispersed.
The
recreation program strives to provide a range of opportunities from
wilderness to developed recreation areas.
Some components of
this goal are:
·
Provide a
trail system for use by hikers, mountain bikers, and horse riders.
·
Create and
maintain a variety of dispersed and developed recreational opportunities.
·
Protect and
enhance wilderness values.
The
Forest strives to provide a landbase for biological diversity, recreational
opportunities, and management efficiency. National Forest System land will
be identifiable by the public.
The
Forest will strive to provide public access. We are committed to an
acquisition and exchange program to consolidate NFS lands, to resolve
encroachments, and to protect significant cultural resources, areas of
historical interest, and unusual habitats.
The
Forest meets certain individual, community, and national needs such as clean
water, minerals, recreation, timber, and wilderness values. The knowledge
that the forest is there and that natural wild places are preserved and
available is important to many people, whether or not they ever visit the
Hoosier.
The
Forest contributes to local economies and provides commodities, products,
and services to people and local communities.
Some components of
this goal are:
·
Reduce
wildfire risk to communities, municipal water supplies, and at-risk Federal
land.
·
Provide
interpretive services to enhance the visitor’s experience, to assist with
management issues, or to protect forest resources whenever possible.
·
Provide for
a balance of forest products within the capabilities of the ecosystems.
·
Support
regional tourism development.
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For more information, to comment, or receive paper copies of any of these documents
contact us at r9 hoosier
website@fs.fed.us
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