SUBMITTED NEWS RELEASE
Applications to serve on a newly-formed advisory committee to guide management of our national forests and grasslands are now available. Members selected to serve on the National Advisory Committee for Implementation of the National Forest System Land Management Planning Rule will advise and give recommendations to the Secretary of Agriculture and the Chief of the U.S. Forest Service.
The 45-day nomination period closes Feb. 21, 2012. Additional details on the committee and the application form are available at the U.S Forest Service website or by calling 202-205-0830. Further information is also available in the Federal Register Notice calling for nominations. Note that the nomination period has since been extended to Feb. 21, 2012.)
The committee will be comprised of up to 21 members with diverse backgrounds, who represent the full range of public interests in management of the National Forest System lands and who represent geographically diverse locations and communities, within each of the following three categories of interests:
Up to seven members who represent one or more of the following:
- Represent the affected public at-large
- Hold State-elected office (or designee)
- Hold county or local elected office
- Represent American Indian Tribes
- Represent Youth
Up to seven members who represent one or more of the following:
- National, regional, or local environmental organizations
- Conservation organizations or watershed associations
- Dispersed recreation interests
- Archaeological or historical interests
- Scientific Community
Up to seven members who represent one or more of the following:
- Timber Industry
- Grazing or other land use permit holders or other private forest landowners
- Energy and mineral development
- Commercial or recreational hunting and fishing interests
- Developed outdoor recreation, off-highway vehicle users, or commercial recreation interests
The committee will provide advice and recommendations on issues such as planning rule directives for implementation, best practices, effective monitoring practices and ongoing collaboration efforts. The announcement of this committee builds on the Agency’s efforts to develop a new Land Management Planning Rule for the National Forest System.
