Litigation over grazing permits for eight cattle allotments on the Fishlake NF has been averted due to Forest Service acceptance of an Appeal Resolution proposed by lead appellant Grand Canyon Trust and six other appellant organizations in the Three Forests Coalition.  The resolution will achieve two “firsts” on southern Utah’s three national forests:  (1) the cooperative development of “best practices” for analyzing the economic consequences of alternative plans for livestock management in environmental impact statements (EIS); and (2) a two-year, multi-stakeholder, on-ground collaboration on management changes for two of the eight allotments – specifically, two of the three experiencing the most natural resources damage.  Habitat for beaver will be restored on at least one stream, and  aspen and mountain mahogany recruitment problems will be addressed.

The brief, but powerful resolution can be viewed by clicking here.

This culminates three years of attention to these eight allotments, in which the Trust provided leadership for developing a viable alternative to the management plan proposed by the Forest Service, as well as in-depth scoping, Draft EIS, Final EIS, and Appeal comments.  In the Final EIS, the Coalition’s alternative had been acknowledged for its superior natural resource outcomes, but rejected because it would “fail to maintain high standards of living.” 

For the Three Forest Coalition’s attention-to-detail comments please click here.

This is the first time the excellent federal guidelines for environmental conflict resolution and collaboration prepared by the White House Council on Environmental Quality and Office of Management and Budget (Attachment A in the Appeal Resolution) are being adopted in a formal agreement.