Revision Reporter
Custer National Forest - Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest - Nebraska National Forest
November 1997
Volume 2, Number 4
Public Scoping Comments Exceed
Forest Service Expectations
orest Service managers are surprised and pleased by the number of public comments received that address
desired management of public lands in America's Northern Great Plains. Over 3,100 comment letters and
forms, postcards and meeting notes have been read and prepared for entry into a computerized data base.
F
"Being a prairie native," Nebraska National Forest Supervisor Mary
Peterson explains, "I am gratified to see the amount of interest in these
public lands."
Each unique comment has been categorized into one of 14 major subject codes that reflects the main topic of the
statement. These subjects are further broken down into subcategories. For example, the subject code for LANDS
contains the subcategories of LAND EXCHANGE and PRIVATE PROPERTY RIGHTS. Each unique comment
will be typed into the computer and coded with its appropriate subject categories. This system allows Forest Service
employees to run reports that display the breadth of comments on a particular subject.
Many of the 3,100+ comment documents are described as "form letters." These form letters share the same
views and are expressed in the same words. The content of a form letter is entered into the computer only once;
however, the name of each individual who submitted that shared comment is recorded into the computer system.
"This is not a vote-counting process," Jerry Schmidt, Medicine Bow-Routt
National Forest Supervisor points out. "The value of an individual's view
is no g
rea
ter or no less than a vie
we
essed b
y man
y. Eac
gr
at
ew
ex
re
by
many
ch
xpr
h comment has
value based on its substance and merit."
While each comment document has been read and coded into subject categories, the job of entering all the individual comments into the computer is very time consuming and won't be completed until January 1998.
Having the ability to generate comment reports is critical to the analysis process. Because management alternatives must respond to public comments, alternatives for the environmental analysis cannot be finalized until the comments have been reviewed. This means a draft environmental impact statement will not completed until September
1998.
w people w
ant to k
ee
p this pr
ocess mo
ving; ho
w ever
, no one will be
"W e kno
know
wa
ke
ep
rocess
moving;
how
r,
comfortable that we considered all public issues and management options
until we've completed the public comment analysis," stresses Custer National Forest Supervisor Nancy Curriden. "It's better to slow down a little
k up la
ter
no
w, than bac
now
back
at
r.
."
The 3 Forest Supervisor offices and 10 District Ranger offices that are part of the Northern Great Plains Management Plans Revision effort have photocopies of the comment documents. You are invited to stop by and read through
the comment documents for yourself.
Revision Reporter
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orest Service specialists continue to evaluate rivers that may or may not
be recommended to Congress for inclusion in the National Wild and
Scenic Rivers System.
Sections of the Little Missouri and Sheyenne Rivers in North Dakota,
Rapid Creek and the Cheyenne River in South Dakota, and the Middle Loup
River in Nebraska all have qualities that make those stretches potential
candidates for Wild and Scenic River listing.
Portions of these rivers that lie adjacent to National Forest and Grassland
units have been classified. Thus far, river analyses show about 80 miles of
the Little Missouri River are classified as either recreational, scenic or wild,
about 8 miles of the Cheyenne River are classified as scenic, about 2 miles of
the Sheyenne River are classified as recreational, about a mile and a half of
Rapid Creek are classified as scenic, and about half a mile of the Middle
Loup is classified as recreational. In the case of the Little Missouri, most of
the river’s stretch appears to meet a scenic classification. Very little appears
appropriate for a wild classification.
A Congressional designation of wild would carry the most restrictive
management, while a recreational designation would carry the fewest restrictions. Congressional designations can and often do enhance recreational
opportunities and local economies.
Forest Service representatives will continue to work with those interested
in Wild and Scenic River studies as the agency moves ahead with its management plans revision.
F
Wild and
Scenic
Rivers
Analysis
M
Bison
Interests
and
Policies
any people have requested that measures be adopted to benefit bison
grazing on the Northern Great Plains. Three main reasons were given:
•
Bison may provide economic opportunities. Ranchers from both the
private and tribal sectors have had recent success in raising bison. Markets for bison products are on the rise. Allowing permittees to run some
bison, if they choose, may diversify local economies.
•
Bison provide many tribal people with a spiritual connection to their past
and traditions. Some American Indians have asked that bison be reintroduced on some areas in order to enhance traditional American Indian
practices and settings.
• Bison could augment a visitor's recreational experience. Many people say
that they enjoy looking at bison in a natural setting. Some people see bison
as a key part of the grassland ecosystem and believe bison could help
restore balance to a grassland environment that is diminished without
them.
Forest Service policies do not prohibit permittees from grazing bison.
However, the bylaws of some grazing associations that manage grazing
permits on the National Forest and Grassland units do prohibit their members
from grazing bison.
Forest Service managers will continue to analyze the opportunities and
challenges bison offer to sound land management. The agency will also
continue to work with those interested in this topic. Policies regarding bison
will be addressed in the draft revised management plans and environmental
impact statement now being prepared.
2 Revision Reporter
he July 1997 issue of the Revision Reporter displayed some preliminary management alternative themes. Those who are familiar with
National Environmental Policy Act procedures know that it is unusual to be
discussing alternatives before the public scoping phase has closed. Because
of the extensive work done with the public over the previous two years,
Forest Service managers felt it was appropriate to start talking about
alternative themes, knowing that many things could change.
In public meetings and discussions, we've gathered some insight into
alternatives and have been working to refine and define them. It's difficult
to describe the complexity and many components of alternatives in a brief
few sentences, and the brevity led to some misunderstandings.
A few things to keep in mind regarding alternatives:
T
• A range of reasonable alternatives (potential actions) must be developed
based on public issues. This gives the public and decision makers
information to consider trade-offs. For example, if livestock grazing is
reduced, as requested by some, how might that reduction affect rangeland health and local economies.
• All alternatives will include sustainable multiple uses and resource
protection measures. The focus for alternative development has been
mainly on rangeland health, livestock grazing, recreation, travel management, and special area designations. These are areas that influence land
allocations.
Preliminary
Alternatives
Generate
Discussion
and
Concerns
• In the alternative themes previously discussed, some people thought the
alternatives were too extreme and polarized. We'll be developing at least
one more alternative that we believe will strike a better balance and be
more acceptable to a broad range of interests.
Some local managers are looking for ways to involve the public in developing a collaboratively based alternative. If you are interested in providing
input to alternatives, please contact your local district ranger. Fully developed alternatives should be defined by February 1998 after all comments
have been analyzed. However, some modifications may occur after that to
incorporate public work group results.
n July 1997, a collaborative group was formed to consider options for tree
plantation management on the Bessey Ranger District of the Nebraska
National Forest. Plantations of ponderosa pine, eastern red cedar, and jack
pine, planted between 50-90 years ago, drape about 20,000 acres of the
90,400-acre district. Age, disease, insects, and fire have taken their toll.
The Forest Service faces a dilemma of what it should do with this nonnative tree stand in Nebraska's Sandhills.
A 14-member collaborative group met 4 times from July to September
1997 to discuss the issues and interests related to the plantation and consider
management options and the many values, consequences, and trade-offs.
Nebraska National Forest Supervisor Many Peterson and Mack Deveraux,
Bessey District Ranger, are very pleased with the group's commitment and
work. The management options developed will be components of management plan revision alternatives and analyzed in the environmental impact
statement.
I
Collaborative
Group
Meets on
Tree
Plantation
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