Northwest Forest Plan
Encyclopedia
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 areas ranging from Northern California
to western Washington
. The NWFP was adopted in 1994 by the Clinton administration as the outcome of a series of studies and hearings that began in 1993.
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 provided for five major goals:
The federal lands falling under the purview of the NWFP are predominantly National Forests
, however Bureau of Land Management
lands, National Parks
, National Wildlife Refuges, and military bases are also covered by the Plan.
The NWFP is highly controversial in that it called for strongly decreased timber yields within National Forests, a policy that has been blamed by some for large-scale job losses
in timber-dependent communities in the Pacific Northwest.
Federal government of the United States
The federal government of the United States is the national government of the constitutional republic of fifty states that is the United States of America. The federal government comprises three distinct branches of government: a legislative, an executive and a judiciary. These branches and...
policies and guidelines governing land use
Land use
Land use is the human use of land. Land use involves the management and modification of natural environment or wilderness into built environment such as fields, pastures, and settlements. It has also been defined as "the arrangements, activities and inputs people undertake in a certain land cover...
on federal lands
Federal lands
Federal lands are lands in the United States for which ownership is claimed by the U.S. federal government.-Primary federal land holders:*Bureau of Land Management*United States Forest Service*United States Fish and Wildlife Service*National Park Service...
in the Pacific Northwest
Pacific Northwest
The Pacific Northwest is a region in northwestern North America, bounded by the Pacific Ocean to the west and, loosely, by the Rocky Mountains on the east. Definitions of the region vary and there is no commonly agreed upon boundary, even among Pacific Northwesterners. A common concept of the...
region of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It covers areas ranging from Northern California
Northern California
Northern California is the northern portion of the U.S. state of California. The San Francisco Bay Area , and Sacramento as well as its metropolitan area are the main population centers...
to western Washington
Western Washington
Western Washington is a region of the United States defined as that part of Washington west of the Cascade Mountains.It is known as being far wetter in climate than the eastern portion of the state, which...
. The NWFP was adopted in 1994 by the Clinton administration as the outcome of a series of studies and hearings that began in 1993.
The NWFP was originally drafted with the intent of protecting critical habitat
Habitat
* Habitat , a place where a species lives and grows*Human habitat, a place where humans live, work or play** Space habitat, a space station intended as a permanent settlement...
for the northern spotted owl
Northern Spotted Owl
The Northern Spotted Owl, Strix occidentalis caurina, is one of three Spotted Owl subspecies. A Western North American bird in the family Strigidae, genus Strix, it is a medium-sized dark brown owl sixteen to nineteen inches in length and one to one and one sixth pounds. Females are larger than males...
, though the plan came to include much broader habitat protection goals.
The plan provided for five major goals:
- Never forget human and economic dimensions of the issues;
- Protect the long-term health of forestForestA forest, also referred to as a wood or the woods, is an area with a high density of trees. As with cities, depending where you are in the world, what is considered a forest may vary significantly in size and have various classification according to how and what of the forest is composed...
s, wildlifeWildlifeWildlife includes all non-domesticated plants, animals and other organisms. Domesticating wild plant and animal species for human benefit has occurred many times all over the planet, and has a major impact on the environment, both positive and negative....
, and waterwayWaterwayA waterway is any navigable body of water. Waterways can include rivers, lakes, seas, oceans, and canals. In order for a waterway to be navigable, it must meet several criteria:...
s; - Focus on scientifically sound, ecologically credible, and legally responsible strategies and implementation;
- Produce a predictable and sustainable level of timberLoggingLogging is the cutting, skidding, on-site processing, and loading of trees or logs onto trucks.In forestry, the term logging is sometimes used in a narrow sense concerning the logistics of moving wood from the stump to somewhere outside the forest, usually a sawmill or a lumber yard...
sales and nontimber resources; and - Ensure that federal agencies work together.
The federal lands falling under the purview of the NWFP are predominantly National Forests
United States National Forest
National Forest is a classification of federal lands in the United States.National Forests are largely forest and woodland areas owned by the federal government and managed by the United States Forest Service, part of the United States Department of Agriculture. Land management of these areas...
, however Bureau of Land Management
Bureau of Land Management
The Bureau of Land Management is an agency within the United States Department of the Interior which administers America's public lands, totaling approximately , or one-eighth of the landmass of the country. The BLM also manages of subsurface mineral estate underlying federal, state and private...
lands, National Parks
National Park Service
The National Park Service is the U.S. federal agency that manages all national parks, many national monuments, and other conservation and historical properties with various title designations...
, National Wildlife Refuges, and military bases are also covered by the Plan.
The NWFP is highly controversial in that it called for strongly decreased timber yields within National Forests, a policy that has been blamed by some for large-scale job losses
Layoff
Layoff , also called redundancy in the UK, is the temporary suspension or permanent termination of employment of an employee or a group of employees for business reasons, such as when certain positions are no longer necessary or when a business slow-down occurs...
in timber-dependent communities in the Pacific Northwest.
External links
- Northwest 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.
- The 1930s Survey of Forest Resources in Washington and Oregon