The Black Hills National Forest has completed phase I, the Assessment Phase, of the Forest Plan Revision process. The Forest has released the 20 revised forest-wide resource assessments, which will be used along with best available scientific information, and new information as it becomes available, to revise the current Land Management Plan.
The revised assessments are based on input provided from interested external parties after the draft assessments were released on June 17, 2022, followed by a 45-day comment period. 128 unique comment letters were received. Since then, the Forest Service reviewed all comments and used the feedback to revise assessments where appropriate.
The 20 assessments are an evaluation of existing information about current and relevant ecological, economic, and social conditions, trends, and sustainability on the Forest. The purpose of conducting assessments is to identify the need to change the Land Management Plan. The assessments include:
• Aquatic, Riparian and Groundwater Dependent Ecosystems
• Insects, Disease, and Invasive Species
• Soils and Watersheds
• Socioeconomics (ecosystem services, multiple uses)
• At Risk Species
• Recreation Settings, Opportunities, and Scenic Character
• Land Status, Ownership, Use, and Access Patterns
• Existing Special and Potential Designated Areas
• Potential Wilderness Inventory
• Infrastructure
• Ecological Integrity of Forested Ecosystems: Status and Trend
• Ecological Integrity of Non-Forested Ecosystems: Status and Trend / Rangeland Management
• Air Quality
• Fire and Fuels
• Cultural Resources
• Timber
• Baseline Carbon Stocks
• Areas of Tribal Importance
• Energy and Minerals
• Wild & Scenic Rivers (process overview)
The revised assessments and other information about the Forest Plan Revision process can be found on the Black Hills National Forest website at Black Hills National Forest – Planning (usda.gov).
Plan Development, or phase II, will begin once the notice of intent is published in the Federal Register. This is expected to occur in the Spring of 2024. The final phase, the Monitoring Phase or phase III, will begin once the current Forest Land Management Plan has been revised.
“The Plan Development phase will be a very robust public engagement process that will include many public meetings and provide various opportunities for the public’s voice to be heard,” said acting Forest Supervisor, Ivan Green. “The diverse public interests must be considered to ensure we maintain a healthy, productive, and resilient forest.”
The Black Hills National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan was first released in 1983, revised in 1997, and amended in 2006. The 2006 version serves as the current Forest Plan for the Black Hills National Forest.
For more information on the Black Hills National Forest, visit www.fs.usda.gov/blackhills.