INSIDE THE NATIONAL FORESTS

Transcription

1 INSIDE THE NATIONAL FORESTS A Webinar From Carolina Public Press Jack Igelman, Contributing Reporter Feb. 20, 2015 Photos: Mike Belleme/Carolina Public Press

2 PISGAH-NANTAHALA NATIONAL FOREST PLAN REVISION! WNC s two national forests (1.1 million acres)! One plan covers both forests! Covers 18 WNC counties! Last plan revised and updated in 1994

3 NATIONAL FORESTS VS. NATIONAL PARKS! National Parks = Preservation & Conservation! National Forests = Multi-use! Recreation (hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, hunting, boating, camping, fishing, etc )! Cultural and historic resources! Resource harvesting and extraction! Timber! Traditional resources! Minerals! Natural gas! Rural economic development! Water quality

4 FOREST PLANNING HISTORY! 1905 USFS created! 1911 Weeks Act! 1916 Pisgah N.F.! 1920 Nantahala N.F.! 1976 National Forest Management Act! 1987 Pisgah-Nantahala Plan! 1994 Plan amended! 2012 Planning Rule

5 WHAT S A FOREST PLAN! Establishes forest-wide use goals and objectives & future desired conditions! Establishes forest-wide management requirements for resources (timber, wilderness, recreation, water, natural areas, etc )! Establishes management areas! Makes recommendations for wilderness, wild and scenic rivers and other special areas! Establishes monitoring and evaluation requirements! National Environmental Policy Act requires an environmental impact statement! Requires public participation

6 2012 PLANNING RULE! New guidelines directing revision process! Emphasizes science, collaboration, and public involvement! Three phases:! Phase 1: Assessment (11/12 3/14)! Phase 2: Planning (3/14 8/16)! Phase 3: Monitoring! 3 to 4 years! Budget: $2 - $4 million! Public engagement

7 WHO USES THE FOREST Recreation Hikers Scenic viewing Bicycling Fishing Hunting Backpacking Other Data: National Visitor Use Monitoring Survey (07-08) photo credit: Harrison Shull

8 ROADS! 2,245 miles of roads (90%+ are closed to vehicles)! 12.5 miles of road created from 01 to 11! Road uses:! Search and rescue! Wildfire! Forest management! Resource extraction! A backlog of repairs (surface and culvert replacement)

9 ENVIRONMENT! Wilderness advocates! None added to NC since 1984! Wilderness groups seek 80,000+ acres on 12 sites & 200,000+ acres of rec. areas! Wildlife advocates! Desire more timber management for early successional habitat (ESH)! Fewer designations to restrict management! Controversial management proposal of 700,000 acres (Nov. 14)! River and stream protection! Energy infrastructure: wind, pipelines, etc

10 CHANGING RURAL ECONOMY 60% % change in employment % 20% 0% -20% -40% Total Emp. For. & fish. rel. Man. Arts, ent., recreation -60% -80% Southwest High Country W. Piedmont Source: Regional Economic Information System, Bureau of Economic Analysis

11 % EMPLOYMENT BY SECTOR, % 25% 20% 15% 10% 5% 0% Timber Travel & Tourism (private) Agriculture Manufacturing Southwest High Country Piedmont

12 FINDING THE STORY! What is the value of wilderness and other recreational resources?! County commissions against wilderness.! Does forest planning favor local interests versus national interests?! Is the process too short? Too long? Underfunded?! Challenge of managing a common resource; how do you assign conflicting property rights; resources used to acquire them.! Implications for other forest plans! Final P-N forest plan decision (Late 16)! Energy infrastructure! Proposals for new eligible wild and scenic rivers.! Evaluation of the USFS

13 RESOURCES & DATA! Plan revision is managed by National Forests of North Carolina supervisor s office, Asheville! Kristin Bail, Supervisor! Stevin Westcott, Public affairs! Pisgah-Nantahala revision web site! Plan assessment document and supplemental reports! WNC Vitality Index! NC Dept. of Commerce! U.S. Census

14 CONTACT INFORMATION! FOR NORTH CAROLINA S NATIONAL FORESTS:! JACK IGELMAN! JACK@IGELMAN.COM! ! CAROLINA PUBLIC PRESS FOREST LOOKOUTS SERIES forest-lookouts-wncs-national-forests! FOR TRAINING & EVENTS FROM CAROLINA PUBLIC PRESS:! ANGIE NEWSOME! ANEWSOME@CAROLINAPUBLICPRESS.ORG!