January - March, 2011
U.S. Proposes New Forest Management Plan
In February, the U.S. Department of Agriculture unveiled a new plan to manage the national forest system that government officials said would give them more flexibility in responding to modern stresses like climate change while also heading off lawsuits.
The plan, which could potentially guide mining, logging and wildlife protection in 155 national forests across nearly 200 million acres, is only a proposal and is likely to face challenges and undergo many changes before it goes into effect.
Mining and timber industry groups took a wait-and-see attitude, while environmental advocacy groups quickly expressed deep disappointment over what they saw as setbacks for conservation.
At a news conference, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said his department was trying to put a new emphasis on maintaining “forest resiliency.” He also said he hoped that if the process of forestry management was made much more open to the public for comment at earlier stages, a consensus could develop that would make litigation less likely.
Forest Service officials also said that by using the best available science and drawing on their knowledge of local circumstances, local managers could work out the details on the watershed areas and wildlife species to be protected in individual forests.
Source: The New York Times