LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The initial comment period on a new plan that includes national forests such as the Mendocino National Forest has closed.

The Forest Service said the initial comment period for the Northwest Forest Plan concluded Feb. 2.

Of note, forests in California included in the Northwest Forest Plan planning are Klamath National Forest and Butte Valley National Grassland, Lassen National Forest, Mendocino National Forest, Modoc National Forest, Six Rivers National Forest and Shasta-Trinity National Forest.

The Forest Service had been accepting comments on a notice of intent that the agency will prepare an environmental impact statement to evaluate the effects of proposed amendments to the Northwest Forest Plan.

More than 9,000 comments were received from the public which are now being analyzed to refine the proposed action, identify initial concerns, and explore potential alternatives and environmental impacts.

Using that information, a draft environmental impact statement will be drafted, posted, and available for public review and additional comments in the coming months.

In addition to public comments, the Forest Service has been actively engaging tribes, state and local leaders, community-based organizations, and other interested publics.

“The goal of this process is to contribute to sustainable, climate-adapted, wildfire-resilient landscapes designed to protect threatened and endangered species while also contributing to social and economic sustainability in the region,” said Jacque Buchanan, regional forester for the Pacific Northwest Region. “To achieve that goal, we need to hear the voices, insights and concerns of the people who value these public lands and live, work, and recreate within the Northwest Forest Plan landscape."

The proposed amendment will affect the land management plans of 17 national forest and grasslands across 24.5 million acres of federally managed lands in western Oregon and Washington, and northwestern California.

The Northwest Forest Plan was established in 1994 to address threats to threatened and endangered species while also contributing to social and economic sustainability in the region.

After nearly 30 years, the Northwest Forest Plan needs to be updated to accommodate changed ecological and social conditions.

Updates on the process of amending the Northwest Forest Plan can be found on the Northwest Forest Plan webpage and also on the and also on the USDA Forest Service, Region 6 website.