The overarching document that guides management of 155 national forests is up for review - and you can be a part of determining what that document will say!

Attend the National Forest Management Act (NFMA) planning regulations meeting.

The Forest Service will hear from the public across the country and then expects to publish a draft environmental impact statement on the new rule in December with a final version most likely by October 2011 and a final decision in November 2011.

It's important that they hear from people who care about protecting and restoring our natural forest treasures. See ideas for comments to share here.

Public meeting:

When: 9:00 am, Tuesday, April 6

Where: Multnomah Room, Doubletree-Lloyd Center, 1000 NE Multnomah St., Portland

What: Tree interactive sessions at 9 am, 1 pm, and 6 pm as well as two informal open houses from noon to 1 pm and 5 pm to 6 pm

Here's a clip from a Eugene Register Guard story on the public meeting with a comment from our Conservation and Restoration Coordinator Doug Heiken.

"Oregon Wild, a nonprofit conservation group also has submitted written comments, said Doug Heiken, who characterized previous efforts at revision as attempts to weaken the rules and limit public engagement.

"'We want to keep the agency accountable and make sure the forests are focused on clean water and biodiversity and carbon storage and recreation and all the wonderful things that come from our national forests,' he said."