Southwestern Region

Southwestern Region
333 Broadway SE [map]
Albuquerque, NM 87102
(505) 842-3292
TTY: (505) 842-3198

NEWS RELEASES: 2006

ARIZONA NATIONAL FORESTS BEGIN STATEWIDE PLANNING EFFORT

ALBUQUERQUE (April 17, 2006)— The Southwestern Region of the Forest Service is beginning to revise land management plans for the six National Forests in Arizona.  A new planning rule provides an updated structure for revising these plans, making them more adaptable and more strategic than current ones.  These revised plans will set the framework for major topics of interest; ranging from recreation to the community fire protection and ecological restoration work being conducted across the Southwest Region.

To learn more about this planning effort and collaboration opportunities, please join us at one of the three open houses.  All open houses will share the same information and all will begin at 6:30pm and end approximately at 8:00pm.  There will be ample time for questions.  The dates and locations are:

• May 2:  Four Points Sheraton, 1900 E. Speedway Boulevard, Tucson, AZ
• May 3:  Embassy Suites, 1515 N. 44th Street, Phoenix, AZ
• May 4:  Radisson Woodlands Hotel, 1175 Route 66, Flagstaff, AZ

“Current land management plans for the Apache-Sitgreaves, Coconino, Coronado, Kaibab, Prescott and Tonto National Forests are about 20 years old,” stated Regional Forester Harv Forsgren.  “These plans will better help me address the desires of local communities, numerous partners, and Congress for restorating fire-adapted forests and grasslands in the Southwest,” he added.

Land management plans will be revised with early and frequent opportunities for public involvement.  The new planning rule places a strong emphasis on working with various groups and individuals through a collaborative process with the ultimate goal of improving on-the-ground management. Revised land management plans will emphasize desired conditions of these public lands in the future. 

For questions regarding these open houses or future public involvement, please contact Karen Carter at 505-842-3290 or kmcarter@fs.fed.us.  If you have questions regarding the new 2005 planning rule or the Region’s planning process, please contact Matt Turner at 505-842-3214 or mturner@fs.fed.us.

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