Action Alert: Camo Alert - GA's Hunters and Anglers Must Speak Out!

Sunday, September 05, 2010

Camo Alert - GA's Hunters and Anglers Must Speak Out!

You can take action on this alert by reading the information below and following the directions at the bottom.

Issue

FOREST MANAGEMENT PLAN for the CHATTAHOOCHEE and OCONEE NATIONAL FORESTS

Background

Recently, a press conference was held and a petition was submitted to the Governor to expand the designation of existing lands which qualify as roadless areas. Whether or not you agree with expanding roadless areas designation has nothing to do with this issue. The facts are that the Land Management Plan for the Chattahoochee and Oconee National Forests was finalized a little over two years ago. This Forest Plan is required to be revised every 10-15 years and involves an extensive planning process. This Plan, which was developed over a seven year period with an unprecedented amount of public involvement, identifies areas on the national forest that will be managed for roadless/wilderness and areas specifically managed for recreation objectives. There were thousands of man hours involved in the seven years of the planning process.

The Georgia Wildlife Federation, along with many other groups and individuals, had ample opportunity for input. In fact, the Georgia Wildlife Federation led the effort to draw traditional sportsmen’s access points and WMA food plots out of the proposed wilderness areas. Doing this maintained both forest openings and traditional access for Georgia’s hunters and anglers to the forest. The decisions were made on this current Plan using the best available science, involving intensive working meetings and large numbers of individuals and groups providing input. There were concessions made on all sides and no one group got exactly what they wanted. The final decision was made on the Plan two years ago and implementation of the Plan is underway. A new planning process will begin within 5-7 years. This will be the appropriate time to provide input to the new Plan. Georgia’s sportsmen and women need to speak up and let the US Forest Service managers and elected officials know that the current Forest Management Plan is sound and the US Forest Service should ignore efforts to subvert the current plan and the planning process, and proceed with implementation.

Click on the MORE button below to see the Forest Management Plan.

Your message will be sent to each of the following targets:

Ms. Kathleen Atkinson, Forest Supervisor
Governor
Your U.S. Representative

A sample message appears below, which you may edit before sending.

Stick with the plan for the Chattahoochee & Oconee National Forests

Dear Ms. Atkinson,
I want to express my views concerning the recent demand to reopen the planning process to the National Forest in Georgia. I recommend staying the course with the existing Plan. This Plan took seven years to develop and involved thousands of hours of intensive meetings with numerous groups and individuals. Everyone made concessions and the Plan was finalized a little over two years ago. You owe it to the thousands of people who participated in the formulation and completion of the new Plan to stick to this Plan. To begin reviewing the Plan piece by piece, in an attempt to find consensus on single issues that have already been resolved, is not only unfair, but a waste of everyone's time and taxpayer money. Let's spend our time implementing this Plan. The appropriate time for all interested parties to have input is when the Forest Plan revision process starts again and not before.

STICK WITH THE PLAN!
Your name and address here

This Action Alert Campaign is Closed.