1. The Forest Service Mission: To Sustain the Health, Diversity, and Productivity of the Nation’s Forests and Grasslands to Meet the Needs of Present and Future Generations

2. Multiple Use-Sustained Yield Act (MUSY, 1960) Multiple Use-Sustained Yield Act (MUSY, 1960) National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA, 1970) National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA, 1970) National Forest Management Act (NFMA, 1976) National Forest Management Act (NFMA, 1976) NATIONAL FORESTS ARE MANAGED PRIMARILY BY THREE LAWS

3. MULTIPLE-USE SUSTAINED-YIELD ACT National Forests shall be administered for outdoor recreation, range, timber, watershed, wildlife, fish and minerals for the multiple use and sustained yield of the products and services obtained therefrom.

4. NATIONAL FOREST MANAGEMENT ACT Requires each national forest to implement a long-term, strategic resource management plan for each unit based on multiple-use, sustained-yield principles. FOREST PLANS - 2014 REVISED GWNF FOREST PLAN The purpose of the Forest Plan is to provide the long-term, strategic direction for the integrated management of all ecological, social and economic resources on national forest lands Forest Plans do not identify site-specific projects -> North Shenandoah Project All projects and activities on a national forest must be consistent with the Forest Plan Revised every 10-15 years

5. NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY ACT Requires environmental analyses to assess the nature and importance of the physical, biological, social, and economic effects of projects and activities. All environmental analyses require public notification and an opportunity to provide input. NORTH SHENANDOAH PROJECT Will be based on multiple use and sustained yield Will implement the long-term strategic direction of the 2014 Revised GWNF Forest Plan Will follow the NEPA process

7. INFORMAL P UBLIC I NVOLVEMENT O PPORTUNITIES Public WorkshopsPublic Field Visits Phone Calls, Emails, etc. FORMAL P UBLIC I NVOLVEMENT O PPORTUNITIES 30-Day Notice and Comment Period on Proposed Activities 30-Day Comment Period on Draft Environmental Analysis 45-Day Objection Period on Environmental Analysis and Draft Decision (by District Ranger)

8. LAND ALLOCATIONS – Managements Prescription Areas Similar areas we want to manage a certain way – Wilderness, Developed Recreation, Active Management DESIRED CONDITIONS – Forestwide or by Management Prescription Areas What we want the forest to look like, how we want ecosystems to function, how we want to meet social and economic demands OBJECTIVES – Measurable Outputs Acres of Rx fire treatments, amount of early successional habitat SUITABLE USES Where various management activities are allowed How we implement projects, usually to mitigate or reduce effects STANDARDS FOREST SERVICE GWNF FOREST PLAN S TRATEGIC D IRECTION

9. RX 1B – Recommended Wilderness Study Area, Beech Lick Knob Approx. 5,700 acres Requires congressional designation, not part of decision space for this project Until designation, managed to maintain wilderness characteristics (no timber harvest or road construction) Activities can be proposed within area as long as consistent with Plan RX 5C – Designated Utility Corridors, VEPCO Transmission Line RX 7C – Rocky Run All Terrain Vehicle Use Area RX 7D – West Side Shooting Range RX 7E1 – Hogpen Dispersed Recreation Area RX 7G – Pastoral Landscapes, Slate Lick Area RX 7B – Scenic Corridors Emphasis on providing high quality scenery in sensitive recreational and travelway settings

10. RX 4D – Special Biological Areas Areas of individual plant species or communities that are of national, regional or state significance and identified as threatened, endangered, sensitive or locally rare RX 12D – Remote Backcountry Emphasis on providing large, remote core areas where users can obtain a degree of solitude but still allow motorized access No timber harvest or new road construction RX 13 – Mosaics of Habitat Emphasis on providing ecological systems diversity Primary area where timber harvest will be used to create and maintain ecosystem diversity objectives and wildlife habitat management activities Primary area where demand for wood products would be met RX 8E7 – Shenandoah Mountain Crest, Cow Knob Salamander RX 4B – Little Laurel Run Natural Research Area

11. 5 Priority Watersheds Capon Run-North Fork Shenandoah River Little Dry River Skidmore Fork-Dry River Black Run-Dry River Hawes Run-South Fork South Branch Potomac River Public Water Supply Watershed Dry River and Skidmore Fork for the City of Harrisonburg RX 11 – Riparian Corridors, embedded throughout all other Rx Areas Streams, Wetlands, Lakes and Floodplains

12. Ecological System GroupsEcological System Spruce ForestCentral and Southern Appalachian Spruce-Fir Forest Northern Hardwood Forest Appalachian (Hemlock)-Northern Hardwood Forest Southern Appalachian Northern Hardwood Forest Cove ForestSouthern and Central Appalachian Cove Forest Oak Forests and Woodlands Northeastern Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest Central and Southern Appalachian Montane Oak Forest Central Appalachian Dry Oak-Pine Forest Southern Appalachian Oak Forest Southern Ridge and Valley/Cumberland Dry Calcareous Forest Pine Forests and Woodlands Southern Appalachian Montane Pine Forest and Woodland Central Appalachian Pine-Oak Rocky Woodland Southern Appalachian Low-Elevation Pine Forest Mafic Glade and Barrens and Alkaline Glades and Woodlands Southern and Central Appalachian Mafic Glade and Barrens Central Appalachian Alkaline Glade and Woodland Cliff, Talus and Shale Barrens North-Central Appalachian Circumneutral Cliff and Talus North-Central Appalachian Acidic Cliff and Talus Appalachian Shale Barrens Floodplains, Wetlands, and Riparian Areas Central Appalachian River Floodplain Central Appalachian Stream and Riparian Central Interior Highlands and Appalachian Sinkhole and Depression Pond Southern and Central Appalachian Bog and Fen North-Central Appalachian Acidic Swamp North-Central Appalachian Seepage Fen Caves and Karstlands

13. 2014 GWNF F OREST P LAN

14. STRUCTURAL DIVERSITY SUCCESSIONAL STAGE Permanent Grass/Shrub - < 10% canopy cover Early Successional – in regeneration Mid Successional - sapling/pole, typically < 10 inches dbh Late Successional – mature and old growth conditions Open Woodland – both early and mid-late successional with overstory spaced far enough apart to allow sunlight to reach forest floor, with grasses andforbs CANOPY CONDITION Open – canopy closure 25-60% Closed – canopy closure > 60% Structural diversity can be created with Timber harvest Use of fire

15. The focus for trails and dispersed recreation will be on utilizing a collaborative approach to plan and implement an alignment of recreation services and facilities with demand and with financial and environmental sustainability. The desire will be on improving trail conditions and long-term sustainability. This work is expected to emphasize bringing existing trails up to sustainable standards through redesign and reconstruction as necessary. New trail construction may be evaluated as opportunities arise, with emphasis on loop trails. Trail maintenance, resources protection, user education, and various inventory and monitoring activities may be achieved primarily through collaboration with partners and volunteers. FOREST SERVICE GWNF FOREST PLAN S USTAINABLE R ECREATION

16. U.S. Forest Service Seven Year Appropriations Budget