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Projects and Plans
Forest Plans | Monitoring & Evaluation | Projects | Schedule of Proposed Actions
Decisions for managing your national forests occur at two levels. Long-range Forest Plans provide broad, general management direction similar to a county land use plan. Before an actual ground-disturbing project can occur, a more site-specific project plan is completed. Both levels of planning provide opportunities for input from citizens and local communities. Plans and projects are monitored and evaluated so future management can be adapted when we are not getting the results we thought we would or new scientific information becomes available. Includes frequently requested records, final opinions, policy and interpretations/ administrative staff manuals and other systems and references as required by E-FOIA.
Existing Forest Plans
Every National Forest has a Resource Management Plan that we usually call the Forest Plan. The Forest Plan describes how we will manage your national forest for the next 10 to 15 years. It explains what Forest Service managers plan to do and what public benefits are anticipated. Long-term planning of this kind is required by the National Forest Management Act of 1976.
The Forest Plan provides broad guidance; it does not make decisions about particular sites, stands, roads, trails, etc. Those decisions are made later in a site-specific Project Planning process in compliance with the goals, guidelines, and standards of the established Plan.
The George Washington National Forest Plan was revised in 1993. The Jefferson National Forest Plan was revised in 2004.
George Washington Forest Plan Revision
Plan Monitoring and Evaluation
The primary purpose of monitoring is to measure progress toward achievement of the desired conditions and objectives established by the Plan. In addition, monitoring provides information to keep the public informed on the performance of the unit.
Throughout the adaptive cycle of planning and site-specific project implementation, the plan is subject to change (amendment or revision) based on the results of periodic monitoring and evaluation and any other new information that becomes available from any source.
The monitoring and evaluation report summarizes the Forest’s latest findings.
Schedule of Proposed Actions
The approval of a Revised Plan puts into place a dynamic management plan for making future project-level decisions. A plan establishes an enduring, long-term framework, within which specific projects are proposed and implemented.
Projects are designed to move the forest towards the desired conditions described in the Forest Plan. Projects and activities designed for implementation under the Revised Plan will be subject to environmental analysis to assure compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act. Site-specific projects include such activities as reconstructing developed recreation campgrounds, prescribed burning in the wildland-urban interface, and harvesting timber to increase habitat for wildlife.
You are invited to become involved in the planning and environmental analysis of national forest projects.
A quarterly Schedule of Proposed Actions is our way of keeping you informed and involved in our projects. It gives you early notice of upcoming projects that you may find an interest in. It also updates you on the status of projects currently undergoing environmental analysis. If you find a project you are interested in, please contact the Responsible Official associated with that project so you can become involved in the environmental analysis and documentation process.
Projects
More Kids In the Woods Grant Information- FY 2010
Site-Specific Projects - High Profile
A few high profile projects which generated a lot of public interest are available on the internet.
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