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2. FOREST PLAN REVISION INYO NATIONAL FOREST MARCH 11 AND 13, 2013

3. Meeting Goals Review the forest plan revision process Gather information on: Current forest conditions Trends in conditions Drivers of forest change

4. What is a Forest Plan? Required for all national forests/grasslands Provides broad, integrated management direction Programmatic, not site- specific Ten to fifteen year planning period All uses of the forest need to conform with plan direction

5. The Inyo’s Forest Plan Inyo’s Forest Plan was completed in 1988; multiple amendments Established management direction for forest resources such as wildlife, recreation, and timber Delineated geographic management areas and prescriptions All forest projects and activities need to conform with 1988 plan direction

6. Why is the Plan being revised? A lot has changed since 1988! Need to develop improved management direction based on new information and changing conditions Use results of 24 years of project implementation, other information Carry forward management direction that is still effective / valid; revise what is not

7. What will the revised Plan include? Five required plan components : Desired Conditions Objectives Suitability of Uses Standards Guidelines Other plan content such as: Distinctive Roles and Contributions Management Areas - Zones - Geographic Areas Recommended Areas (e.g., Wilderness, Wild & Scenic Rivers) Priority Watersheds Monitoring Program

8. What won’t the Plan include? Site-specific decisions or actions, such as: Construct 5 miles of new trail from Bluebird Lake to Feather Falls Close Road #12S34 to motor vehicle use from April 1 – June 1 each year Conduct forest thinning on 125 acres immediately adjacent to the community of Forest Hill

9. Assessment Plan Revision Monitoring Three Phases to Revise a Forest Plan

10. Multi-year process 2012 Develop Inyo NF Collabor- ation Plan 2013 Bioregional Assessment Inyo NF Assessment Begin identifying Need for Change 2014 Complete Need for Change Develop and analyze Proposed Plan 2015 to 2016 Public review of draft Plan and EIS Approve revised Plan Monitoring

11. First Phase: Assessment Social Conditions Economic Conditions Ecological Conditions

12. Assessment Report What is an assessment? Provides a source of information and context for plan revision To be conducted rapidly, using readily available information and existing data Identify knowledge or information gaps Conducted at two scales: forest-level and bioregional Draft Bioregional assessment to be available May 2013, final by August 2013 Draft Forest-level assessment by October 2013, final by December 2013

13. Assessment Topic Papers Resource “topic paper” chapters will form the foundation of the Inyo NF Assessment Report Ch. 1: Ecosystem Condition (Terrestrial, Aquatic, Riparian Ecosystems) Ch. 2: Air, Soil, and Water Resources Ch. 3: System Drivers and Stressors (wildfire, climate change, insects and disease, etc.) Ch. 4: Carbon stocks Ch. 5: At-risk wildlife and plant species Ch. 6: Social, Cultural, and Economic Conditions Ch. 7: Ecosystem Services and Benefits (introduction only) Ch. 8: Multiple Uses (Water, Range, Timber, Hunting/Fishing/Plant Collection) Ch. 9: Recreation and Scenic Character Ch. 10: Renewable and Nonrenewable Energy and Mineral Resources Ch. 11: Infrastructure (roads, recreation facilities, public utilities, etc.) Ch. 12: Areas of Tribal Importance Ch. 13: Cultural & Historic Resources Ch. 14: Land Status and Ownership Ch. 15: Designated Areas (wilderness, wild and scenic rivers, research natural areas, inventoried roadless areas)

14. Next Steps Spring 2013: Gather information on resource conditions and trends; prepare topic papers for the assessment. Follow-up meeting/webinar April 4 th, 2 - 4 pm and 5 – 7 pm Initial input on content of assessment topic papers due April 5th Public review of draft topic papers May-June (with some chapters available even sooner) October 2013: Draft Assessment Report released for public review December 2013: Final Assessment Report published Winter 2013: Initiate NEPA, identify need for change in current management direction.