Scientific Society Finds Proposed Forest Rule Inadequate to Conserve Forest Ecosystems

May 16, 2011. The Forest Service should enact stronger science-based standards in its proposed national framework for the management of 155 National Forests and 20 Grasslands according to the Society for Conservation Biology. SCB along with some of the nation's top scientists reviewed each of five focus areas in the agencies' draft Environmental Impact Statement on the Forest Service's proposed rule. While reviewers noted that the planning rule was in certain respects a marked improvement over the 1982 forest rule that is currently in effect, they called on the Forest Service to make improvements in order to reach the agencies' stated goal of protecting water and wildlife in a changing climate and to meet the requirements of the law in today's world.

Read the full SCB report HERE

Read SCB's review of the proposed rule change, submitted on April 20, 2011 HERE.

Read SCB and the Ecological Society of America's joint comments on the notice of intent related to forest plan rule making submitted on February 12, 2010 HERE.