Legislative Rules Behind the Forest Plans

The forest plan must be drawn up in compliance with the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resource Planning Act (RPA) and the amended rules as provided in the National Forest Management Act (NFMA) of 1976. Forest planning must also be in compliance with National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The Secretary of Agriculture must consider when designing the plan to: “use an interdisciplinary approach; coordinate with state and local resource management efforts; provide for public participation; and provide for multiple-use and sustained yield of products and services” (http://ipl.unm.edu/cwl/fedbook/nfma.html ). These plans must be in accordance with other legislative directives, such as NEPA or the ESA. Therefore, different management alternatives must be considered when preparing each plan. The information guiding these alternatives is based off of analyses of supply and demand conditions and the opportunity to resolve problems (SNF Forest Plan 1986). These alternatives are then evaluated through environmental impact statements (EIS) that are prepared for each forest plan before the plan can be approved and enacted. Then the regional forester decides on which alternative to choose, considering input from various non-governmental sources. Lastly, the Secretary of Agriculture approves of the plan if it is within the legislative framework.

The purpose of the forest plan is to lay the groundwork for land and resource management. The plan provides for the multiple use and sustained yield of goods and services from the National Forest System lands.

"The overall goal is to provide the greatest long-term net benefits in an environmentally sound manner. The forest plan guides all natural resource management activities and establishes management standards and guidelines for the SNF. The forest plan determines resource management practices, levels of resource production and management and the availability of lands for resource management" (SNF Forest Plan 1986).

The forest plan also supercedes and replaces all previous management directives for the forest. Upon approval of the plan, all subsequent administrative actions must be in compliance with the plan.