The public is invited to spend Friday morning with Flathead National Forest Planning Staff Officer Rob Carlin and Interim Forest Plan Revision Team Leader Joe Krueger at the Perkins Restaurant, 1390 U.S. 2, Evergreen. The regular event, called Flathead Forest Friday, starts at 7 a.m. on Friday, May 17, 2013. It’s an opportunity to hear from the planners on the multi-year Forest Plan Revision on the forest and to provide feedback in a casual setting.
The National Forest Management Act of 1976 (NFMA) establishes direction for land and resource management plans, more commonly known as Forest Plans. It is the primary statute governing the administration of national forests. NFMA requires the Forest Service to use a systematic and interdisciplinary approach to resource management. The act requires the development of a planning rule that sets requirements for land and resource management plan processes and content. It also requires public involvement in preparing and revising Forest Plans.
A new rule governing how forests approach plan revision was released in 2012. The Flathead National Forest is about to begin the plan revision process as laid out in the new rule. The process will take at least three years and will shape how the Flathead National Forest is managed in the future. Carlin and Krueger will discuss the planning effort and how the public can engage in the process.
Every other month, the Forest Service coordinates a no-host breakfast meeting at a local restaurant with the goal of sharing good food, great company, and a little information about what’s happening on our National Forest.
“We hope the event will be a great way to keep one another informed on public land management opportunities and challenges that are important to us all,” Flathead National Forest Public Affairs Officer Wade Muehlhof said.
For those interested in attending, RSVP at [email protected] or (406) 758-5252.