National Forest Planning
National Forest plans are continually being updated. Find out which ones pertain to trails and how you can help.
Every 15 years, each national forest must conduct a planning process to decide how they’re going to manage their lands for the next decade-and-a-half. This process is called forest planning, and it can have a huge impact on hikers.
- Cutthroat Pass, in the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest. By Lee Stamm.
Decisions on where to site ORV recreation, which roadless areas should receive wilderness designation, and to what standard trails will be maintained will have long-lasting effects on hikers and other non-motorized recreation users.
Right now, the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, in concert with the Colville National Forest, are going through this planning process. Wilderness areas ranging from Glacier Peak to the Pasayten to the Chelan-Sawtooth will be considered as this process unfolds, and hikers need to be engaged now to make a difference.
Washington Trails Association's Position
Washington Trails Association advocates the following:
- The Forest Service should protect access to hiking opportunities in the event of road closures.
- The Forest Service should recommend important roadless areas for Wilderness designation by Congress, including the Alpine Lakes Wilderness Study Areas in the Cle Elum Ranger District and the Golden Horn/Liberty Bell roadless area.
- These forests should ban off-trail use of ORVs and ban “mudding”, or use of four wheel drive vehicles in wet, fragile meadows.
- Tell the forest land managers that they should resist pressures to increase use of commercial helicopters to access the high country for skiing or hiking.
What You Can Do
Check out the Meetings and Events page to learn when the next forest planning meeting will take place. And visit WTA’s Action Center to find out how you can be an important part of the forest planning process.
