Inyo National Forest releases revised land management plan and draft decision
Inyo National Forest press release
We are excited to inform you we have completed the final environmental impact statement (EIS), revised land management plan and draft record of decision (ROD) for the Inyo National Forest. The USDA Forest Service has been working with the public, tribes, and local, state and federal agencies for several years on this land management plan revision, ultimately leading to the development of these documents. We appreciate your patience and enthusiasm along the way.
The final EIS, revised land management plan, and draft ROD are available on the project website:https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/
The revised land management plan will guide how we manage the Inyo National Forest for the next 10-15 years. This revision is the result of refining our analysis, guided by public comments we received on the draft EIS and plan released in May 2016. Major themes we heard related to recreation, wild and scenic rivers, recommended wilderness, aquatic and riparian resources, livestock grazing, and fire management. In addition to addressing these themes, we also improved the plan’s architecture and clarified how plan components interact across resources.
In the revised land management plan, we focus on maintaining and restoring forest health, while providing socioeconomic benefits tied to recreation and providing water. We will achieve these goals working through strong partnerships with forest visitors and local communities across California and Nevada. We invite you to stay engaged.
The revised plan:
- Emphasizes a landscape approach to fire and smoke management and the need for proper fire return intervals across ecosystems.
- Provides direction for watershed restoration and aquatic habitat conservation.
- Establishes recreation management zones based on expectations and infrastructure in each area.
- Recommends 37,029 acres of wilderness adjacent to existing wilderness areas; and identifies 73 segments on 32 rivers eligible for inclusion in the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System.
- Outlines a monitoring program that utilized public input to develop 25 questions and indicators.
The Forest Service will host a public meeting on August 7, 2018 from 5:30 pm to 7:00 pm at the Cerro Coso Community College, Eastern Sierra College Center, 4090 W. Line Street in Bishop, California to help orient the public to the revised land management plan and next steps. We hope you’ll join us.
We are at an important milestone in revising the Inyo’s land management plan. The decision to approve the revised plan is subject to a 60-day objection filing period that begins when the Inyo Register publishes a legal notice on August 4, 2018.
If you wish to file an objection, please consult the “How to Participate in the Objection Process” fact sheet available on-line at the project website.
For more information about the land management planning process, contact Leeann Murphy, Resource and Planning Staff Officer, 760-873-2404 or Deb Schweizer, Public Affairs Officer, 760-873-2427.
Thank you for your continued interest and involvement in the plan revision process for the Inyo National Forest.
