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<br />. <br /> <br />Forest Plan Focus <br /> <br />J,J:..f5t <br /> <br />Page 4 <br /> <br />But the Old Plan isn't Broken... <br /> <br /> <br />A popular destination on the Forest, Snowmass Lake Is In <br />the Maroon Belfs.Snowmass Wilderness. <br /> <br />The current Forest Plan for the White River National Forest was approved in 1984. We will continue to <br />implement the current Forest Plan until the Revised Forest Plan is approved-sometime in 200 1. There are many <br />parts of the current Forest Plan that are not broken, and we will be canying concepts and guidance from the <br />current Forest Plan into our Revised Forest Plan. <br /> <br />In many cases, however. the current Forest Plan does not address the situation in which we find ourselves today. <br />The current Forest Plan was prepared in the early 19805 based on issues. scientific data and technology of that <br />lime. \Ve will add to the foundation of the issues and methods found in the current Forest Plan; and, we will <br />identify new issues and address them with the best infonnation we have. Since the release of the current Forest <br />Plan, new concepts such as biological diversity and ecosystem health have become an integral part of national <br />forest management. Other issues not in the current Forest Plan that will be addressed in the Revised Forest Plan <br />include mountain biking, A TVs, roadJess areas and the Canada lynx. We are also facing new issues with our <br />local communities as they grow and urbanize. The increasing pressure from recreation and tourism and other <br />uses of the Forest will continue and we need a plan that can address these concerns. <br /> <br />There has also been much concern expressed over recreation limits. The White River National Forest is very <br />special to many people. The Forest will continue to supply a large amount of recreation in both the number of <br />people enjoying the Forest and in the variety of ways that the Forest is used. The Forest Service has a long <br />history of determining sustainable resource-use levels; for <br />example, grazing permittees are limited in how many <br />cows can graze in an area, and the logging industry is <br />offered a limited amount of timber each year. We are just <br />beginning to understand that similar concepts of <br />sustainable use may apply to some fonns of recreation, in <br />some areas, during certain times of the year. This would <br />be applied with the idea of protecting resources so that the <br />Forest can provide continuous recreation use for multiple <br />generations. This work is in the early stages and will be <br />best developed through partnerships and cooperative <br />efforts with local people and jurisdictions. <br /> <br />There has also been a great deal of discussion about a shift <br />in emphasis in our Revised Forest Plan away from <br />multiple use. This is not our intent. All alternatives <br />presented in the Proposed Revised Forest Plan, including <br />the alternative that represents our current forest plan <br />(Alternative B), are based on the multiple-use philosophy. <br />\Ve will continue to produce all of the goods and services <br />that we have in the past, but to varying degrees in each <br />alternative. After all, that's what allernatives are-mixes of <br />outputs and outcomes, based on different emphases. These <br />emphases, or themes, include such things as wildlife <br />habitat management, recreation, resource production and <br />environmental protection. <br /> <br />The current Forest Plan really isn't broken. it is simply <br />missing some pieces and issues that have come along in <br />the past decade. We are updating the plan, modernizing it, <br />if you will. We have to come up with a plan that will not <br />only address today's issues, but help us address <br />tomorrow's concerns. \Ve hope you will help us in our <br />effort to build such a plan. <br />