The Northwest Forest Plan (NWFP) is a series of federal policies and guidelines governing land use on federal lands in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It covers 10 million hectares within Western Oregon and Washington, as well as a small part of Northern California.[1]
The NWFP was adopted in 1994 by the Clinton administration as the outcome of a series of studies and hearings that began in 1993;[2] in response to over-harvesting of old growth forests, threatening northern spotted owl populations.
During the development of the NWFP, President Bill Clinton directed 10 federal agencies responsible for forest management, fisheries, wildlife, tribal relations, and national parks to work together with scientists on a region wide forest plan that would be "scientifically sound, ecologically credible, and legally responsible."[3]
A multi-disciplinary team of scientists known as the Forest Ecosystem Management Assessment Team was assigned the task of identifying management alternatives that would meet the requirements of applicable laws and regulations, including the Endangered Species Act, the National Forest Management Act, the Federal Land Policy Management Act, the Clean Water Act, and the National Environmental Policy Act.[3]
Goalsedit
The plan provided for five major goals:
Never forget human and economic dimensions of the issues;
The NWFP was originally drafted with the intent of protecting critical habitat for the northern spotted owl, though the plan came to include much broader habitat protection goals. The plan is still in effect today and is intended to last for 100 years. Declining northern spotted owl populations led to the plan's implementation. The owl's main source of habitat is old growth forests which have become scarce the last few decades. Not only has over-harvesting of old growth forests led to declining northern spotted owl populations, but also competition from the barred owl, an invasive species originally native to the Eastern region of North America.
A small percentage of old growth forests still remain in parts of Washington and Oregon state. The plan has shifted emphasis from logging for economic gain to conservation and preservation of aquatic reserves including endangered fish stocks.[4]
Managementedit
The federal lands falling under the purview of the NWFP are predominantly National Forests, but Bureau of Land Management lands, National Parks, National Wildlife Refuges, and military bases are also covered by the Plan. In addition, the US forest service holds a lot of the authority and management decision making processes within the plan area. The NWFP is highly controversial in that it called for strongly decreased timber yields within National Forests,[5] Even though the Northwest Forest Plan is implemented to conserve late succession, it is also important that there is a process in the beginning to protect in the early succession of younger trees.[6]
^DellaSala D, Baker R, Heiken D, Frissell C, et al. 2015. Building on Two Decades of Ecosystem Management and Biodiversity Conservation under the Northwest Forest Plan, USA. Forests. Vol 6. 3326-3352
^ ab"Northwest Forest Plan (NWFP) Overview", Regional Ecosystem Office, November 28, 2006. (Accessed 2007-02-07.)
^ abDellaSala, D; Baker, R; Heiken, D; Frissell, C; et al. (2015). "Building on Two Decades of Ecosystem Management and Biodiversity Conservation under the Northwest Forest Plan, USA". Forests. 6 (12): 3326–3352. doi:10.3390/f6093326.
^(Franklin, 2014) Franklin J, Johnson N. 2014. Lessons in policy implementation from experiences with the Northwest Forest Plan, USA. Biodiversity and Conservation. Vol 23. 3607-3613
^Looking Back: The Northwest Forest Plan's New Conservation Paradigm, ERTHFX, April 6, 2015 – via KUOW-FM (Seattle)
^Thomas, Jack Ward; Franklin, Jerry F; Gordon, John; Johnson, K Norman (2006). "The Northwest Forest Plan: Origins, Components, Implementation Experience and Suggestions for change". Conservation Biology. 20 (2): 277–87. doi:10.1111/j.1523-1739.2006.00385.x. PMID 16903089. S2CID 10595995.
The Survey and Manage Program of the Northwest Forest Plan, Bureau of Land Management, April 2006.
Northwest Forest Plan Historic Overview
The 1930s Survey of Forest Resources in Washington and Oregon
March 14, 2024
northwest, forest, plan, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor, au. This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Northwest Forest Plan news newspapers books scholar JSTOR August 2010 Learn how and when to remove this template message The Northwest Forest Plan NWFP is a series of federal policies and guidelines governing land use on federal lands in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States It covers 10 million hectares within Western Oregon and Washington as well as a small part of Northern California 1 Contents 1 History 2 Goals 3 Management 4 See also 5 References 6 External linksHistory editThe NWFP was adopted in 1994 by the Clinton administration as the outcome of a series of studies and hearings that began in 1993 2 in response to over harvesting of old growth forests threatening northern spotted owl populations During the development of the NWFP President Bill Clinton directed 10 federal agencies responsible for forest management fisheries wildlife tribal relations and national parks to work together with scientists on a region wide forest plan that would be scientifically sound ecologically credible and legally responsible 3 A multi disciplinary team of scientists known as the Forest Ecosystem Management Assessment Team was assigned the task of identifying management alternatives that would meet the requirements of applicable laws and regulations including the Endangered Species Act the National Forest Management Act the Federal Land Policy Management Act the Clean Water Act and the National Environmental Policy Act 3 Goals editThe plan provided for five major goals Never forget human and economic dimensions of the issues Protect the long term health of forests wildlife and waterways Focus on scientifically sound ecologically credible and legally responsible strategies and implementation Produce a predictable and sustainable level of timber sales and nontimber resources and Ensure that federal agencies work together 2 The NWFP was originally drafted with the intent of protecting critical habitat for the northern spotted owl though the plan came to include much broader habitat protection goals The plan is still in effect today and is intended to last for 100 years Declining northern spotted owl populations led to the plan s implementation The owl s main source of habitat is old growth forests which have become scarce the last few decades Not only has over harvesting of old growth forests led to declining northern spotted owl populations but also competition from the barred owl an invasive species originally native to the Eastern region of North America A small percentage of old growth forests still remain in parts of Washington and Oregon state The plan has shifted emphasis from logging for economic gain to conservation and preservation of aquatic reserves including endangered fish stocks 4 Management editThe federal lands falling under the purview of the NWFP are predominantly National Forests but Bureau of Land Management lands National Parks National Wildlife Refuges and military bases are also covered by the Plan In addition the US forest service holds a lot of the authority and management decision making processes within the plan area The NWFP is highly controversial in that it called for strongly decreased timber yields within National Forests 5 Even though the Northwest Forest Plan is implemented to conserve late succession it is also important that there is a process in the beginning to protect in the early succession of younger trees 6 See also editForest plans Management of Pacific Northwest riparian forests Salvage RiderReferences edit DellaSala D Baker R Heiken D Frissell C et al 2015 Building on Two Decades of Ecosystem Management and Biodiversity Conservation under the Northwest Forest Plan USA Forests Vol 6 3326 3352 a b Northwest Forest Plan NWFP Overview Regional Ecosystem Office November 28 2006 Accessed 2007 02 07 a b DellaSala D Baker R Heiken D Frissell C et al 2015 Building on Two Decades of Ecosystem Management and Biodiversity Conservation under the Northwest Forest Plan USA Forests 6 12 3326 3352 doi 10 3390 f6093326 Franklin 2014 Franklin J Johnson N 2014 Lessons in policy implementation from experiences with the Northwest Forest Plan USA Biodiversity and Conservation Vol 23 3607 3613 Looking Back The Northwest Forest Plan s New Conservation Paradigm ERTHFX April 6 2015 via KUOW FM Seattle Thomas Jack Ward Franklin Jerry F Gordon John Johnson K Norman 2006 The Northwest Forest Plan Origins Components Implementation Experience and Suggestions for change Conservation Biology 20 2 277 87 doi 10 1111 j 1523 1739 2006 00385 x PMID 16903089 S2CID 10595995 External links editNorthwest Forest Plan Regional Ecosystem Office August 14 2007 Official site The Survey and Manage Program of the Northwest Forest Plan Bureau of Land Management April 2006 Northwest Forest Plan Historic Overview The 1930s Survey of Forest Resources in Washington and Oregon Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Northwest Forest Plan amp oldid 1190878775, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
