The Northwest Forest Plan Area Federal Advisory Committee (FAC) will meet on Nov. 14 – 16, 2023, at the Edgewater Hotel, 2411 Alaskan Way in Seattle, Washington.
For those who wish to attend the meeting virtually, please click the link below to join the live stream: https://encoreglobal.zoom.us/
Along with presentations from forest managers, the FAC will discuss how experience with forest management can inform the agency in considering updates to the Northwest Forest Plan. The NWFP FAC Agenda details can be found on the NWFP FAC website at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/
All FAC meetings are open to the public and include opportunity for public comments. Note that registrations for in-person oral comments or written public comments for this meeting has closed. Comments received after the deadline will be provided to the Forest Service. The Committee will not have adequate time to consider them prior to the November meeting, however, they will be considered for the January 30-February 1, 2024, meeting.
Details about future Committee meetings and opportunities to provide comments for them will be posted on the Forest Service’s regional website at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/goto/
The FAC was established by the Secretary of Agriculture as part of ongoing efforts to amend the Northwest Forest Plan. The purpose of the FAC is to bring together diverse perspectives representing the experiences of communities, experts, Tribes, and other interested parties across the Northwest Forest Plan landscape to inform ways that forest management can effectively conserve key resources while considering social, ecological, and economic conditions and needs.
The Federal Advisory Committee does not replace the public involvement process or the public’s opportunity to engage directly with the Forest Service regarding Northwest Forest Plan amendment efforts during the planning process and future engagement and comment opportunities will be provided.
The Northwest Forest Plan covers 24.5 million acres of federally managed lands in northwestern California, western Oregon, and Washington. It was established in 1994 to address threats to threatened and endangered species while also contributing to social and economic sustainability in the region. After nearly 30 years, the Northwest Forest Plan needs to be updated to accommodate changed ecological and social conditions.
Additional information about the Northwest Forest Plan is available at https://www.fs.usda.gov/
For future Northwest Forest Plan Amendment updates please sign up using USDA Forest Service (govdelivery.com)
Steve, I was hoping someone from TSW might want to attend and virtually and do a write-up?
I can’t do it — swamped with work.
I’ll be there, but not an uninterested observer 😉
Thanks, Susan, I understand.. and you need to be on your toes and not thinking of reporting..
In my ideal world, funded by some foundation with the goals of environmental peace-making in the US, I’d fund at least two people from diverse perspectives to attend and write their impressions.. it’s no small ask to sit through FACA committees for free, even virtually.
“the public’s opportunity to engage directly with the Forest Service regarding Northwest Forest Plan AMENDMENT efforts during the planning process”
I think I’ve asked this before, but this decision was made where, when and by whom?
You mean amendment and not revision? Maybe SJ knows.
FYI….
A scoping letter associated with the Northwest Forest Plan (NWFP) Notice of Intent (NOI) published on December 18, 2023.
https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2023/12/18/2023-27742/region-5-and-region-6-california-oregon-and-washington-forest-plan-amendment-for-planning-and
PDF:
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2023-12-18/pdf/2023-27742.pdf
The Pacific Northwest and Pacific Southwest Regions of the USDA Forest Service published in the Federal Register a Notice of Intent to amend the 1994 Northwest Forest Plan (NWFP) and prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). We invite you to become engaged in the public comment period for this project.
The Forest Service is proposing to amend the direction for the NWFP to address changed conditions and new information. The agency seeks to improve resistance and resilience to fire where needed across the NWFP landscape, support adaptation to and mitigation of climate change in the NWFP landscape, ensure tribal inclusion in developing and implementing plan direction in the NWFP, protect mature and old-growth forests, and support sustainable communities affected by forest management in the NWFP landscape. By strengthening habitat supported by mature and old growth ecosystems, the amendment seeks to enhance habitat protections for listed and unlisted wildlife to the wildlife-focused framework of the NWFP.
Comments can be submitted via webform or hard copy. Information on how to comment is provided in the Federal Register notice (88 FR 87393). Relevant documents, including the scoping letter, and information about how and where to submit your comments will be posted on our website at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=64745.