George Washington NF Prepares to Revise Access, Roadless Area & Wilderness Management
March 10, 2010 – George Washington National Forest in Virginia and West Virginia has published a notice of intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and revised Resource Management Plan (RMP). Some of the major issues to be included in the RMP revision are access, roadless area and wilderness management. Proposed actions relating to these issues include: 1) identifying one new area and three additions to existing wilderness areas that comprise about 20,400 acres as recommended wilderness study areas; 2) expanding the current remote backcountry management area allocation to include more of the Inventoried Roadless Areas and update the management direction for these remote backcountry areas; 3) providing that areas in the potential wilderness area inventory that are actively managed and are not recommended for wilderness study, would remain in active management; & 4) revaluate road access needs.
Comments of the scope of the RMP revision will be accepted until May 7, 2010. Comments may be submitted by email to: comments-southern-georgewashingtonjefferson@fs.fed.us with “GW Plan Revision” in the subject line or by mail to:
George Washington Plan Revision
George Washington & Jefferson National Forests
5162 Valleypointe Parkway
Roanoke, VA 24019-3050
Additional information found online:
http://www.fs.fed.us/r8/gwj/forestplan/revision/index.shtml
