The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service seeks public comment on a draft plan and draft EIS that will provide management guidance for the 1.1 million-acre Lincoln National Forest in Southern New Mexico for the next 10 to 15 years. The Lincoln National Forest began land management plan revisions under the 2012 planning rule (36 CFR 219)
The forest seeks public comment on the proposed plan draft environmental impact statement published in the Federal Register. The public has from August 6, 2021 to November 5, 2021 to comment.
The draft plan reflects changes in economic, social, and ecological conditions since the current forest plan was approved in 1986. The revised plan reflects input from elected officials, cooperating agencies, county and local governments, state and federal agencies, tribal governments, traditional communities, user groups, non-governmental organizations, natural resource professionals and the public.
The draft land management plan emphasizes multiple uses supported by healthy ecosystems, addressing the need for a working forest that continues supports local economies through livestock grazing, forest products, water resources, traditional uses, and sustainable recreation. The draft plan focuses on outcomes rather than outputs, includes shared stewardships, collaboration, and partnerships, adds monitoring, and uses adaptive management. The draft land management plan preserves the two existing designated wildernesses (83,252 acres or 7.5 percent of the forest), and 12 inventoried roadless areas (176,900 acres or 16 percent of the forest); and recommends 21 new wilderness areas (40,500 acres or 4 percent of the forest) this includes one wilderness study area (21,300 acre).The draft land management plan protects significant cave with two proposed management areas.
The land management decision process is complex and based on various factors, including local economies, multiple use needs, and the best available science. Based on these factors and public input, the draft land management plan supports partnerships and an “all lands” approach to working across administrative boundaries to accelerate landscape-scale restoration of forested areas, watersheds and wildlife habitat and mitigate the risk of catastrophic wildfire. The draft land management plan also addresses forest access through road maintenance objects and preserving the special characteristics of designated areas like wilderness, inventoried roadless areas, and wild and scenic rivers.
Lincoln National Forest will host 5 public meetings across the forest to share the draft land management plan, draft EIS and hear feedback from the public. Information on public meetings will be posted on the forest’s website at https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/lincoln/landmanagement/planning/?cid=STELPRD3814307. The meetings will be in:
Ruidoso, NM
Cloudcroft, NM
Mayhill, NM
Carlsbad, NM
Alamogordo, NM
Written and electronic comments will be accepted during the formal comment period from August 6, 2021, until November 5, 2021. Project documents, including the draft land management plan and draft environmental impact statement, and instructions on how to comment are available at https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/lincoln/landmanagement/planning/?cid=STELPRD3814307. To have standing to object, you must include your name and contact information. Ways to comment:
Go to: https://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=45148 and follow the link to comment under “Get Connected”.
Mail a Letter to Travis Moseley Responsible Official, Attention: Forest Plan Revision Team, Lincoln National Forest, 3463 Las Palomas Rd., Alamogordo, NM 88310
Hand-Deliver to Lincoln National Forest, 3463 Las Palomas Rd., Alamogordo, NM. Or deliver to the front desk at District Offices between 8:30 am– 4:00 pm weekdays, excluding holidays.
Write at a Public Meeting. LNF staff will be available to answer questions and assist. Hard copies of the draft land management plan will be available at the Lincoln National Forest headquarters in Alamogordo and at all district offices.
