Take Part in the OWNF's Planning Process

Published: July 08, 2010

The Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest spans more than 4 million acres from the Pasayten Wilderness along the Canadian border to the Goat Rocks Wilderness south of Mt. Rainier. Over the past several years, the U.S. Forest Service has been working to update the forest plan for the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, which will guide its management for the next 15 years.

The last forest plan was published in 1990. Since that time, there have been significant resource and social changes, new or revised laws and regulations, as well as gains in scientific understanding and resource management knowledge. The aim of the revised plan is to consider these changes and provide broad direction for sustainably managing forest resources.

According to the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest ?Forest Plan Revision News,? the revised plan will address management area boundaries, climate change, fish and wildlife management, forest management and possible wilderness recommendations.

The revision process also presents an opportunity to revisit the protection of our rivers and creeks, especially with changes in endangered species listings and increases in water-based recreation since the last plan. Within the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, there are more than a dozen rivers and creeks with exceptional natural, cultural and recreational values. At least 14 deserving rivers and creeks such as Bear Creek and Mad River, currently are not protected as wild and scenic, and one river, the Little Wenatchee, is partially protected.

Through the plan revision process, the Forest Service can reevaluate these rivers and creeks to determine eligibility for further study as wild, scenic or recreational under the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. It is a two-part process that involves first, identifying the outstanding remarkable values of the rivers and creeks, and second, conducting a suitability analysis. If the Forest Service finds any rivers or creeks eligible, it can recommend further study and consideration of those river segments as ?wild and scenic? in the plan. Still, a finding of eligibility does not automatically launch further study. Ultimately, Congress must act to designate those rivers as wild, scenic, or recreational.

The draft revised forest plan for the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest is expected to be published next Spring 2011. At that time, there will be additional public meetings. To learn more about the forest plan revision, visit http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/wenatchee/forest-plan/.