Tongass National Forest

Welcome

Forest planning is a dynamic process. The first Tongass Forest Plan was completed in 1979. After several amendments, the original plan was revised in 1997 and the 1997 plan has been amended many times since then. This Forest Plan Adjustment Website was developed to support the planning efforts that led to a significant amendment of the Forest Plan in January 2008. The site was designed to make information available in a user-friendly environment and provided multiple opportunities for the public to participate in the planning effort throughout the process.

The Amended Forest Plan complies with an August 2005 Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals decision that claimed inadequacies in the NEPA procedures associated with the 1997 Forest Plan Record of Decision and Final EIS. The Amended Forest Plan also responds to the findings of the recently completed Tongass Forest Plan 5-Year Review.

Many of you followed along with us on this Web site as we developed the Draft and Final Proposed Forest Plans and associated EIS documents. Your suggestions, interest, and involvement have been helpful and are appreciated.

The Website is organized into several major sections, which are briefly described below.

Background - This section of the Tongass Forest Plan Adjustment Website describes the background and history associated with the issuance of the 1997 Forest Plan Record of Decision and Final Environmental Impact Statement, including appeals, subsequent decisions, litigation and legislation, in chronological order.

Approach - This section provides information on how the 1997 Forest Plan Adjustment process was conducted.

Work Items - This section describes the many work items that were addressed for the adjustment and update of the Forest Plan. One of the key work items was the Conservation Strategy Review.

2008 Final EIS, ROD, & Forest Plan - This section provides links to the Final EIS, Record of Decision (ROD), the 2008 Amended Forest Plan, and related information. It also provides links to the Map Library. The Appeals section provides copies of the appeals related to the 2008 Amended Forest Plan. Click here to review the Appeal Decision document.

Map Library - This section of the site provides the ROD Map, the associated Timber Sale Program Adaptive Management Strategy Map, and the Final EIS Alternative Maps. This section also provides various reference map products including maps showing Value Comparison Unit (VCU), Ranger District, and Wildlife Analysis Area (WAA) boundaries, and maps displaying Inventoried Roadless Areas and various breakdowns of productive old-growth and young-growth forests.

Public Involvement - This section describes the overall approach that was followed for public involvement during the 2008 Forest Plan Amendment process.

Newsroom - This section provides access to any news releases and public announcements associated with the process. Tongass National Forest related graphs, figures, and similar materials can be found in this section as well.

Reference Library - This section provides access to key documents and references used for the adjustment and update efforts.