Action Alert
Act Now!!! Forest Service releases their final MIS plan - dismantling wildlife monitoring in the Sierra
Appeal their decision by February 4th and help protect a robust species monitoring program.
On December 14th, 2007 Region 5 of the U.S Forest Service released the Record of Decision regarding their proposed Sierra Nevada Management Indicator (MIS) Species Amendment. This decision minimizes the Forest Service’s forest monitoring requirements by significantly reducing the management indicator species lists that are tracked across all Sierra Nevada National Forests. The 2001 and 2004 Framework required the Forest Service to monitor impacts that Forest Service projects have on the long-term viability of these species and the long-term health of the habitats that they depend upon for survival.
The revision of existing monitoring requirements will have significant environmental consequences and will weaken existing protection for species and the biological diversity of the Sierra Nevada. Unfortunately the needs of forest health, ecosystem integrity, and species survival are not regarded as a primary purpose of this proposed amendment to the existing monitoring program. A program that has never been acted upon as the 2001 Framework required, which if it had, would have ensured that there would be monitoring data available addressing the impacts of Forest Service management on species of importance and the habitats they depend upon. The new MIS Amendment is more about short-cutting cost and escaping recent legal opinions from the 9th Cir. Court of Appeals (Earth Island Institute v. Forest Service 2006) regarding the Forest Service’s negligence in meeting their monitoring requirements.
Appendix E of the 2001 Sierra Nevada Framework required that the Forest Service develop a monitoring program for a wide variety of essential and important wildlife species within the National Forests of the Sierra Nevada. This important list of MIS within Appendix E survived the Bush Administration's dismantling of the 2001 Sierra Nevada Framework. The existing monitoring requirements for MIS and related species are an essential part of land management plans and provide a valuable safety net to reduce the likelihood of plan implementation having significant adverse environmental impacts.
We can not allow the Forest Service to weaken protections for vitally important MIS or the habitat and population monitoring requirements. Without a robust, scientifically valid and enforceable monitoring program in place there is virtually no way to measure the effects of Forest Service actions within areas of important habitat that serve as the last bastions of hope for the survival of many of the species and the ecosystem they depend on.
Points to make in your appeal
How to appeal this decision:
NOTE: previous standing on the MIS Amendment is not required to appeal. Regulations for appealing this amendment are: 36 C.F.R. 217 located on the Forest Service website.
Appeals must be filed by February 4, 2008. Appeals may be filed by mail, fax or email at the following addresses and numbers.
USDA Forest Service
Attn: EMC Appeals
Mailstop 1104
1400 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20250-1104
Fax: (202) 205-1012
Email: appeals-chief@fs.fed.us
Be sure to put Sierra Nevada Forests MIS Amendment in the RE: line of your written letter or the Subject Line of your email. Emailed appeals must be submitted in rich text format (.rtf) or Word (.doc).
Appeals must be post-marked (a clear, visible postmark) or emailed by February 4, 2008.
For more information regarding the appeals process contact Sierra Forest Legacy:
Jason Swartz
Forest Organizer
Craig Thomas
Executive Director


