[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 222 (Friday, November 18, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 69931-69932]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-22910]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Revision of Land Management Plan for the Uwharrie National Forest

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of initiation to revise the Uwharrie National Forest 
Land Management Plan.

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SUMMARY: The Forest Service is revising the Land and Resource 
Management Plan (hereafter referred to as Forest Plan) for the Uwharrie 
National Forest (UNF). This notice provides:
    1. A summary of the need to change the Forest Plan;
    2. Information on how the public can comment on the need to change, 
when those comments are due, and how comments can be submitted;
    3. A list of documents available for review and how to get them;
    4. How the public can participate in the planning process;
    5. Who to contact for more information.

DATES: Revision formally begins with publication of this notice in the 
Federal Register. Many public comments regarding Forest Plan revision 
have already been received at public meetings and through e-mail. 
Additional comments on the need to change the Forest Plan should be 
submitted within 30 days of the date this notice is published in the 
Federal Register.

ADDRESSES: Submit written comments to: Uwharrie Plan Revision, National 
Forests in North Carolina, P.O. Box 2750, Asheville, NC 28802. 
Electronic mail should include ``Uwharrie Plan Revision'' in the 
subject line and be sent to: [email protected]. More information on the UNF and Forest Plan 
revision process is available at: http://www. cs.unca.edu/nfsnc/uwharrie_plan/.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ruth Berner, National Forests in North 
Carolina, Planning Team Leader, (828) 257-4862.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Uwharrie National Forest is managed as 
part of the National Forests in North Carolina. The original Forest 
Plan for the UNF was completed in 1986.

Documents Available for Review

    Several reports and draft documents written over the past few years 
help identify how the existing Forest Plan might need to change to be 
more useful in the future. These documents include:
    1. Uwharrie National Forest Recreation Realignment Report (August 
2001), hardcopy available by sending a request to [email protected].
    2. Roads Analysis Process Report Uwharrie National Forest (December 
2003), available online at http://www.cs.unca.edu/nfsnc/roads/uwharrie_rap.pdf.
    3. Uwharrie National Forest Watershed Analysis Draft Report 
(September 2004), hardcopy available by sending a request to [email protected].
    4. Uwharrie National Forest--A Strategic View (July 2005, Initial 
Draft Comprehensive Evaluation Report), available online at http://www.cs.unca.edu/nfsnc/uwharrie_plan/, or by requesting a copy.

Need for Change

    Growing as a Tourist Destination: As population in the area grows, 
local public lands are increasingly being seen as a place of 
relaxation; a quiet, peaceful retreat. The UNF is the top tourist 
destination in Montgomery County, and one of several popular tourist 
destinations in Randolph County. There may be tourism-related 
opportunities to provide more economic benefits to local communities.
    Nature Hikes Becoming More Popular: Most visitors to the UNF seek a 
place to walk, view nature, and perhaps picnic, swim, or fish. The UNF, 
with its lake and river frontage, rolling topography, and existing road 
and trail system, is currently providing a variety of these 
opportunities. There may be ways to make visits more enjoyable, 
especially along the Uwharrie Trail and the Uwharrie River.
    Game Lands Heavily Hunted: Hunting definitely has a place on the 
UNF; the Forest has the highest hunting use per acre of any North 
Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) game land. There may be 
opportunities to better provide the types of wildlife habitat that are 
in short supply on nearby private land.
    Providing Wood Products: Timber harvested from the UNF helps to 
meet increasing American consumer demand for wood products while at the 
same time providing a cost-effective way to create and maintain 
wildlife habitat. Wood products also provide economic benefits to local 
communities. There may be opportunities to change the amount or type of 
timber products offered to the local forest products industry.
    Opportunities To Improve the Transportation System: There may be 
opportunities to improve the existing UNF road and trail system, to 
enhance public access while minimizing visitor conflicts and resource 
damage.
    Opportunity for Off-Highway Vehicles: Off-highway vehicles (OHV) 
currently have access to a sixteen-mile trail system. There are few 
other known opportunities in the Piedmont for this type of experience, 
and demand is increasing. OHV use on NFS lands is controversial due to 
potential resource impacts and incidents when OHV users have strayed 
from the trail system. There may be opportunities to better manage the 
OHV trail system to provide the desired experience while lessening 
impacts to the forest resources.
    Interpreting History: Archeological and historical resources on the 
UNF provide a unique opportunity for current forest visitors to learn 
about those who lived here in the past, and at the same time provide an 
outdoor recreation experience. Careful, innovative planning may ensure 
that historically important sites are protected yet still accessible.
    Restoring Native Ecosystems: Existing UNF ecosystems include native 
pine and hardwood communities, but also include loblolly pine 
communities on sites that once supported longleaf pine. Vegetation 
management could restore longleaf pine and other historic plant 
communities on appropriate sites.
    Using Fire as a Tool: Restoring the natural role of fire is 
important in sustaining some ecosystems such as longleaf pine and the 
open woodland conditions used by a number of rare plants. Increasing 
use of prescribed fire may better maintain these native plant 
communities.
    Controlling Non-native Invasive Plants: Controlling non-native 
invasive

[[Page 69932]]

plant species would allow us to better sustain native plant 
communities.
    Consistent Acorn Production: There is a relatively limited supply 
of oaks in the age range when acorns are most abundantly produced. 
Periodic vegetation management can ensure an adequate age range of oaks 
for acorn production over time. Acorns are an important food source for 
many wildlife species on the UNF.
    Selective Stream Restoration: Most aquatic habitats on the UNF are 
in good to excellent condition and support a high diversity of fish and 
mussel species. However, some stream channel conditions are less than 
optimal. There is an opportunity and a need to restore these impaired 
stream channels.
    Managing Roads and Trails Effectively to Reduce Erosion: The roads 
and trails on the UNF are potential sediment sources that can degrade 
water quality and aquatic habitats. There is a need and an opportunity 
to reduce the sediment from these sources through partnerships, and 
better management and maintenance.

Comment Requested

    The Forest Service is seeking information and comments from 
individuals, organizations, and Federal, state, and local governments 
and agencies on the need to change the current UNF Forest Plan 
direction. The current conditions and trends of forest resources and 
opportunities for change are described in more detail in the Uwharrie 
National Forest--A Strategic View (Initial Draft of the Comprehensive 
Evaluation Report). The Forest Service is asking for comment on the 
topics identified in the Need for Change summarized above and for any 
other topics that individuals, organizations, and government and 
agencies feel should be addressed during the revision process. As 
described above, any comments on the Need for Change should be 
submitted within 30-days from the publication of this Notice of 
Initiation.

Public Participation

    The plan revision is an open process with numerous opportunities 
for the public to obtain information, provide comments, or participate 
in collaborative stakeholder activities. Options for the public include 
the following methods: (1) Participating in collaborative dialogue at 
public meetings, (2) reviewing and commenting on the documents, 
preliminary plan components, analysis results, and supporting maps 
(posted on our Web site http://www.cs.unca.edu/nfsnc/uwharrie_plan or 
sent to you hardcopy at your request), or (3) providing input during 
formal comment periods.
    The focal points of the collaborative work are: (1) Developing and 
refining plan desired conditions, (2) designing management objectives 
to work toward attaining or maintaining desired conditions, (3) 
identifying suitable uses for various parts of the UNF, (4) identifying 
special areas, (5) writing guidelines to serve as operational controls 
or environmental safeguards, (6) outlining the monitoring framework to 
be used for evaluating forest conditions. We expect this phase of 
collaboration to run through the spring of 2006. Our remaining forest 
plan revision schedule will be approximately as follows: (1) Release of 
draft forest plan and start of 90-day public comment period, fall 2006, 
(2) release of final plan and start of 30-day objection period, summer 
2007, (3) final decision and start of plan implementation, fall 2007.

Responsible Official

    The Forest Supervisor, National Forests in North Carolina, is the 
Responsible Official (36 CFR 219.2(b)(1)).

(Authority: 36 CFR 219.9(b)(2)(i), 70 FR 1023, January 5, 2005)

Marisue Hilliard,
Forest Supervisor, National Forests in North Carolina.
[FR Doc. 05-22910 Filed 11-17-05; 8:45 am]
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