Ashley National Forest - Forest Plan Revision #49606

The Ashley National Forest completed revision of its 1986 Forest Plan to reflect current natural resource conditions. We released the final revised Forest Plan on 1/26/2024.

The proposed action is to revise the 1986 forest plan. The National Forest Management Act directs the development, amendment, and revision of land management plans to provide for the multiple use and sustained yield of the products and services on Forest Service lands, including outdoor recreation, range, timber, watershed, wildlife and fish, and wilderness (16 U.S.C. 1604(e)). The 2012 planning rule guides this planning using a collaborative and science-based approach to promote the economic, social, and ecological sustainability of national forests and grasslands and other administrative units of the National Forest System. For more detailed information:  2012 Planning Rule.

The existing forest plan is more than 35 years old, dramatically exceeding the 10-15 year duration of plans directed by the National Forest Management Act. Since the 1986 forest plan was completed, there have been changes in ecological, social, and economic conditions in the area, as well as changes in resource demands, availability of new scientific information, and promulgation of new policy, including the 2012 planning rule. These changes necessitate a plan revision to ensure that management direction is responsive to current issues and conditions. In particular, the plan revision addresses the following topics: resilient ecosystems and watersheds; tribal relationships and cultural resources; economic resiliency; sustainable recreation; traditional uses and multiple uses.

The decision to approve the revised forest plan for the Ashley National Forest is subject to the objection process identified in 36 CFR Part 219 Subpart B (219.50 to 219.62). A 60-day objection period on the draft record of decision, forest plan, and final EIS was initiated on April 19, 2023, with the publication of the notice of the opportunity to object in the newspaper of record. This is also an opportunity to object to the Regional Forester’s list of species of conservation concern for the Ashley National Forest. 

Who can object? Only individuals and entities that submitted substantive formal comments during earlier comment periods are eligible to file an objection. The objection must be based on the same concerns raised in the objector’s earlier comments unless it concerns an issue that arose after the last formal comment period. 

Objections must include the following:

• the objector’s name, address, telephone number and email address if available;
• signature or other verification of authorship;
• identification of the lead objector if multiple names  are listed;
• a reference to the Ashley National Forest Plan Revision and the Responsible Official, Susan Eickhoff, Forest Supervisor;
• a statement of the issues and/or parts of the plan revision the objection applies to;
• a concise statement explaining the objection and suggesting how the draft plan decision may be improved;
• a statement that demonstrates the link between the objector’s prior substantive formal comments and the content of the objection; and
• any documents referenced in the objection.

How to file an objection:

• Electronically to the Objection Reviewing Officer: Electronic comments are preferred and may be submitted through the project webpage; click “Comment/Object on Project.” Electronic submissions (including all attachments) must be submitted in one of the following formats:  MS Word (*.docx), Rich Text Format (*.rtf), or Adobe PDF (*.pdf) and must be readable and searchable with optical character recognition software. An automated response will confirm your electronic objection has been received.

Refer to the legal notice on how to file an objection via regular mail, carrier, hand delivery or by fax.

• Federal Register Notice of Opportunity to Object
• Legal notice of the opportunity to object printed in the Vernal Express April 19,2021

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