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National Forest System Eastern Region (R9) Update!!!!. Doug Chaltry Stacy Lemieux, USFS Region 9. Topics. 2011 Forest Planning Rule Huron-Manistee NF Lawsuit Landscape-scale Conservation. 2011 Forest Planning Rule. Public comment period ended May 16 Agency now revising the draft
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National Forest SystemEastern Region (R9) Update!!!! Doug Chaltry Stacy Lemieux, USFS Region 9
Topics • 2011 Forest Planning Rule • Huron-Manistee NF Lawsuit • Landscape-scale Conservation
2011 Forest Planning Rule • Public comment period ended May 16 • Agency now revising the draft • Expect final rule late in 2011 • As mentioned last year, proposes lots of collaboration and landscape-level planning
Broad-scale Monitoring • Managed at Regional level: Doug Chaltry • For monitoring questions best answered at a scale broader than the unit • Detecting changes in conditions related to wide-ranging or migratory species • Measuring stressors such as climate change
Broad-scale Monitoring (cont.) • Takes into account: • Drivers and stressors affecting large ecosystems • Multiple land ownerships • Existing national and regional inventory, monitoring, and research programs • Information from other branches of Agency and governmental and nongovernmental partners • Opportunities for multi-party monitoring with other FS units, Federal, State or local government agencies, scientists, members of the public, and federally recognized Indian Tribes
Huron-Manistee NF Lawsuit • Lawsuit challenging the Huron-Manistee Forest Plan • Called the “Meister Case” after the plaintiff • Much misinformation floating around
Huron-Manistee NF Lawsuit (cont.) • The H-M is revising the Forest Plan EIS to analyze the proposed alternative • Prohibits firearm hunting and snowmobiles within Wilderness and semi-primitive, non-motorized management areas • This does NOT set a precedent for other Forests, even if the H-M makes changes • The Forest Service is NOT banning, or considering banning, hunting on National Forests
Huron-Manistee NF Lawsuit (cont.) • Areas where these restrictions are being considered comprise <7% of the Forest • Indian Treaty rights and Michigan deed restrictions will not be violated • Analysis of the proposed alternative is underway; there's no way to know what the result will be • Court ordered analysis, not specific decision
Landscape-scale Conservation • Region 9 Planning, Appeals, & Litigation program has expanded to include Landscape Scale Conservation • New Assistant Director: Pam Dryer • Leading Landscape Scale Conservation efforts • She will be working closely with State & Private Forestry and the States.