The Coronado National Forest will release its revised Land Management Plan and accompanying Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) and Record of Decision (ROD) on June 22, 2018. The new plan responds to changes seen during the past two decades within the environment and local economy surrounding the Coronado National Forest, and strikes a balance between recreational pressures, community wildfire protection, grazing opportunities, watershed treatments, and access. The new plan is built on a foundation of the best available science and developed collaboratively with local, state, federal and tribal governments; the public; partners; and conservation organizations. The ROD was signed on April 27, 2018.
“Public involvement was critical to the development of this revised plan and I would like to thank all those who participated and provided comments throughout the development process,” said Coronado National Forest Supervisor Kerwin Dewberry. “Our new forest plan reflects the input we received and the mission of the USDA Forest Service, providing guidance for the treatment of healthy, resilient ecosystems that meet the diverse needs of the American people.”
The current land management plan was implemented in 1986. Since that time, significant changes on the forest and in surrounding communities have made it clear that revisions need to be made. These changes include growth of the surrounding communities and wildland urban interface, increasing demands for recreation and forest access, and challenges with forest conditions due to drought, wildfire, insects and disease. These changes present as many opportunities as challenges, and together, they indicate that plan revision is necessary.
The Coronado National Forest supports rural prosperity with approximately 1,500 local jobs in recreation, mining and livestock grazing industries. These jobs contribute $45 million in labor income annually. The revised plan ensures continued support for these important economic benefits, and provides greater flexibility to treat forests and grasslands to promote resiliency and reduce susceptibility to uncharacteristic levels of disturbance from drought, wildfire, insects, and disease. It provides guidance for increasing the number of permanent legal access routes, and utilizes land use zones based on community and visitor use to provide sustainable recreational experiences, balancing the need for both quiet/dispersed and motorized/developed recreational uses.
The plan recommends three wilderness areas – Ku Chish, Mount Graham and Whetstone – as well as one addition to a designated wilderness area – the Chiricahua Addition North as an expansion to Chiricahua Wilderness. Recommended wilderness areas will total 108,889 acres. Management direction will focus on maintaining and enhancing their wilderness character, which includes scenic resources, primitive recreation settings, and fish and wildlife habitats.
Upon release of the revised plan, FEIS, and ROD a legal notice will be placed in the newspaper of record, the Arizona Daily Star, which will initiate a 90-day public appeal period. Implementation of the plan will begin 30 days following publication of the Notice of Availability in the Federal Register. The Final Revised Plan, signed by the Southwestern Regional Forester, will then replace the current land and resource management plan.
For a copy of the revised plan, please visit http://bit.ly/2tuQSJk.