National Forest Service Requests Community’s Help with Updating Decades-Old Northwest Forest Plan

The Shasta–Trinity National Forest Service is calling upon the public to get involved in the drafting of a new Northwest Forest plan. On January 23, at Shasta College, the agency will host a community meeting to learn more about contributing to updates to the plan, which was created in 1994.

After nearly three decades, amendments to the Northwest Forest Plan will focus on reducing wildfire risks to communities and forests and supporting local economies with sustainable timber and restoration work, while adapting to a changing climate to increase resiliency to extreme weather events such as droughts and wildfire. The updated Plan is also intended to “trust responsibilities to tribal governments and communities” by involving them in both planning for and implementing forest management practices.

According to CalFire data, parts of Shasta and Trinity Counties have burned in three of the five largest wildfires in California’s recent history. As sections of Southern California remain engulfed in flames, conversations about how to mitigate deadly blazes are top of mind for communities who live in wildfire–prone parts of the state. As part of the meeting, members of the public will be encouraged to examine maps of the forest and proposed updates, and share their thoughts with Forest Service staff and experts who worked on the plan.

A draft resolution of the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) that informs the plan is available here. Questions can be directed to SM.FS.NWFPquestion@usda.gov. The meeting will be held  at Shasta College Student Center Stage, Building 2000.

---

Do you have a correction to share? Email us: editor@shastascout.org