The first generation of forest plans was developed under a regulation adopted in 1982; 22 years later, the second generation was born.

The United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service released on Dec. 22 its rule that provides the framework for individual forest management plans that govern 155 national forests and 20 grasslands.

Currently, the forest planning process takes five to seven years to revise a 15-year management plan. Under the new rule, forest plan revisions will take two to three years with a comprehensive evaluation of the plan to be completed every five years to ensure it is meeting goals and objectives. "The regulations were very outdated, and we have acquired a lot of knowledge about forest management in the past years," Jennifer Ruyle, Coronado National Forest planner of Tucson, said. "There is a lot of scientific and other knowledge that needs to be incorporated into the plan."

The Safford Ranger District Office provided information to the Graham County Supervisors, who in turn gave the information to the forest planner for incorporation in the new plan.

The new rule directs forest managers to take into account the best available science to protect air, water, wildlife and other important national resources. Plant and wildlife protections will be provided first by conserving ecosystems as a whole, with more targeted protections for listed species and other species of concern. Management decisions will consider ecological, social and economic sustainability that is consistent with broadly accepted international standards.

Land management plans will also be strategic in nature but will not include specific project management decisions. Those that do include such decisions will require the appropriate environmental assessments or environmental impact statements, which is consistent with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Any amendments, plan developments and revisions also must comply with NEPA requirements.

The final part of the rule moves many detailed procedural requirements to the Forest Service's directive system, which is the agency's internal manual that describes procedures. Broad goals will be in the forest plans, but analytical procedures on how to achieve those goals will be spelled out in the directive system. The proposed directives will be released for public review and comment.

"The new rule puts a lot of emphasis on public collaboration," Ruyle said. "We feel like we do a better job of managing when we include the public in our planning."

Despite reports to the contrary, the rule neither promotes nor discourages any particular forest use, such as recreation, grazing, timber harvest or mineral development. Decisions regarding forest usage will be made on a forest-by-forest basis. These decisions will be based on local conditions, science and public input. Guidelines on activities, such as timber harvesting, will be in the directives.

"We are one of the first forests to be using the new rule to develop our plan," Brian Dykstra, acting district ranger for the Safford Forest Service District, said. "We have a lot of questions, but we are working toward answers as we develop our plan."

The new rule does not relax any wildlife protection and will follow all statutes in place to protect the environment, Ruyle said. The rule still proceeds under NEPA.

Contact Lindsey Stockton at 428-2560 (ext. 240) or e-mail her at indsey@eacourier.com.