Ventana Wilderness Alliance
Protecting the Northern Santa Lucia

VWA Forest Plan Revisions Project

The Forest Service has published their Draft Land Management Plan and Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Los Padres National Forest and three other southern California forests. The final forest plan, when it is issued, will guide management of the four forests for the next decade and beyond. The complete text of the draft documents is available for public comment at the USDA Forest Service forest plan revision website.

The forest service's preferred action is to implement Alternative 4, which emphasizes recreation. The strongest conservation option considered was Alternative 6, based on a Conservation Alternative submitted by a coalition of advocacy groups including the Ventana Wilderness Alliance. Alternative 6 would set biological diversity and the health of the ecosystem as primary goals, and manage other uses of the forests to minimize negative impact on the environment. The VWA supports the adoption of Alternative 6 in the final forest plan.

The 90-day public comment period on the draft land management plan began May 14 and runs through August 11. Comments may be made online at http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/scfpr or by mail to:

Southern California Forest Plan Revisions
Los Padres National Forest
USDA Forest Service
Content Analysis Center
P.O. Box 22777
Salt Lake City, UT 84122

For more information, see the links below.

The Little Sur River needs your help!
VWA's proposed Wilderness Management Plan (PDF File, 95K)
Scoping Letters

For more information about this project, contact Kelsey Jordahl at kelsey@ventanawild.org