MUIRNet-News - MUIRNet-News - for the Recreation Advocate

Six Rivers NF Motorized Travel Management Project Planned

john@muirnet.net (Federal Register) — Sat, 28 Apr 2012 02:00:56 +0000

The Six Rivers National Forest proposes to make limited changes to the National Forest Transportation System (NFTS) on the Gasquet Ranger District in order to: provide motorized access to dispersed recreation opportunities; provide a diversity of motorized recreation opportunities; to provide for administrative needs, and; to reduce ecological and cultural resource risk and maintenance costs. In addition, inventoried unauthorized routes (UAR) that pose a risk to ecological resources will be restored to reduce risk to resources.

Amendment for Angeles, Cleveland, Los Padres, and San Bernardino NF Planned

john@muirnet.net (Federal Register) — Sat, 28 Apr 2012 01:40:15 +0000

The Forest Service will prepare a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for a proposed amendment of the Land Management Plans for the Angeles, Cleveland, Los Padres, and San Bernardino National Forests. The Forest Service proposes to amend the Land Management Plans to change Land Use Zone allocations within select Inventoried Roadless Areas (IRAs) in the four southern California National Forests. The amendment also proposes to change the Land Management Plan monitoring protocols for the four forests.

Forest Service Planning Rule Released

john@muirnet.net (Federal Register) — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 22:09:21 +0000

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (U.S. Forest Service) is adopting a new National Forest System land management planning rule (planning rule). The new planning rule guides the development, amendment, and revision of land management plans for all units of the National Forest System (NFS), consisting of 155 national forests, 20 grasslands, and 1 prairie.

Scoping Period for California DRECP Announced

john@muirnet.net (Federal Register) — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 21:44:48 +0000

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) intends to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) which may include amendments to the California Desert Conservation Area (CDCA) Plan, Bishop Resource Management Plan (RMP), Caliente/Bakersfield RMP, and Eastern San Diego County RMP for the areas that are within the planning boundary of the proposed Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan (DRECP). These potential plan amendments will be analyzed in the DRECP Draft EIS and CDCA Plan Amendment (PA), as noticed in the Federal Register on November 20, 2009 (74 FR 60291) and August 29, 2011 (76 FR 45606). By this notice, the BLM is announcing the beginning of the scoping process to solicit public comments and identify issues related to the proposed RMP amendments.

Forest Growth Expanding

john@muirnet.net (USFS Press Release) — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 18:07:50 +0000

Forest Service Report Shows Forest Growth in North Outpacing Other Parts of Country
Region benefits from carbon emissions collection, water filtration, forestry jobs

WASHINGTON, March 12, 2012 —U.S. Forest Service scientists today released an assessment that shows forest land has expanded in northern states during the past century despite a 130-percent population jump and relentless environmental threats. At the same time, Forest Service researchers caution that threats to forests in the coming decades could undermine these gains.

According to the Forests of the Northern United States report, forest coverage in the United States has increased by 28 percent across the region that includes Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine.

Land-Based Wind Energy Guidelines Released by FWS

john@muirnet.net (Federal Register) — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 22:28:38 +0000

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) announced the availability of the final voluntary Land-Based Wind Energy Guidelines (Guidelines). These Guidelines supersede the Service's 2003 voluntary interim guidelines for land-based wind energy development. They respond to accelerated development of land-based wind energy generation projects in the United States. These voluntary Guidelines provide developers and agency staff with an iterative process to make sound decisions in selecting sites to avoid, minimize and compensate for adverse effects to wildlife, particularly migratory and birds of prey and bats, and their habitats resulting from construction, operation, and maintenance of land-based wind energy facilities.

Draft EIS for Removal of Barred Owls Released

john@muirnet.net (Federal Register) — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 18:15:48 +0000

Draft Environmental Impact Statement for Experimental Removal of Barred Owls to Benefit Threatened Northern Spotted Owls

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced the availability of a draft environmental impact statement for experimental removal of barred owls to benefit threatened northern spotted owls. The barred owl, a species recently established in western North America, is displacing the northern spotted owl and threatening its viability. The draft environmental impact statement analyzes a no-action alternative and seven action alternatives to experimentally determine if removing barred owls will benefit northern spotted owl populations and to inform decisions on whether to move forward with future management of barred owls.

Spotted Owl Critical Habitat Proposal Released

john@muirnet.net (USFWS Press Release) — Sun, 11 Mar 2012 23:46:48 +0000

Service Identifies Areas to Be Assessed for Potential Northern Spotted Owl Critical Habitat, Proposes Broad Exclusions, Ecological Forestry, and Barred Owl Control

Service will now undertake important economic assessment to inform final designation

Washington, DC – Today, in compliance with an order from a U.S. District Court, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced a science-based critical habitat proposal for the northern spotted owl that begins a public review process to determine what forest lands should be designated as critical habitat in a final rule that will be published in November. This proposal recommends substantially increasing active management of forests, consistent with ecological forestry principles, in areas designated as critical habitat. Today’s announcement, which identifies areas that may be considered for the final designation, also emphasizes significant benefits of excluding private lands, and that consideration along with the important economic assessment will help inform areas that will be excluded from the final designation.