Inyo National Forest Preparing to Revise 1988 Forest Plan

–Workshops to be Held on Collaboration in Forest Planning, Nov. 16 & 17–

The Inyo National Forest has been designated as an “early adopter” forest by the Forest Service, indicating that the Inyo will be in the first tier of eight national forests to revise their Forest Plan under the new National Forest Land Management Planning Rule adopted earlier this year.  The Inyo’s existing plan was completed in 1988.

Forest Plans provide strategic direction to guide the management of forest resources.  They are programmatic in nature and provide a framework that guides site-specific project and activity decision making.  The new Planning Rule directs that the Forest Plans will be science-based and developed collaboratively with stakeholders who are interested in the management of national forests.  The Inyo National Forest is committed to collaboration, improving transparency in the planning process, and strengthening the role of public involvement in the process through opportunities for dialogue about forest plan issues.

Forest Supervisor Ed Armenta would like to invite anyone interested in learning more about the Forest Plan Revision Process, and specifically about the collaborative process the Inyo is proposing to use, to come to one of two workshops on November 16 or 17.   Two identical workshops are being planned to accommodate those who can best attend during the work week and those who can best attend outside of normal working hours.   Since Bishop is the most central for those participating from the Eastern Sierra both workshops will be held in Bishop at the Inyo National Forest Supervisor’s Office, 351 Pacu Lane, according to the following schedule:

• Friday November 16,   9-12 a.m.
• Saturday November 17,  9-12 a.m.

The first half of each workshop will consist of presentations and opportunities for questions and answers regarding the Forest Plan Revision process, including an orientation to what a Forest Plan is and what it is not; and a presentation on a Draft Collaboration and Communication Plan for the Plan Revision effort.  The second half of the workshop will be an interactive format where participants will have an opportunity to work together on helping to finalize the Collaboration and Communication Plan.  Discussions will be on such topics as prioritizing communication tools and techniques for involving a diverse array of stakeholders, collaborative opportunities for the three year Plan Revision process, and how to monitor the progress of the communication and collaboration effort.  The workshops will be facilitated by Center for Collaborative Policy facilitator Laura Kaplan.

An opportunity to participate in the workshop via conference call and webinar will be available for the first half of the workshop, with those participating in this way having the ability to provide feedback on the workshop topics in a written format.

For more information about the workshops or the Forest Plan Revision process, or if you have special needs in order to participate, or to find out how to participate remotely, please call Public Affairs Officer Nancy Upham at 760-873-2427, or email her at [email protected].