Back to the Drawing Board for Forest Plan Update

The U.S. Forest Service is extending its timeline for updating the long-standing Northwest Forest Plan, saying it will conduct additional analysis and develop new alternatives in response to thousands of public comments.

The agency, part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, announced Monday that the expanded effort is intended to better address wildfire risk, forest restoration, and timber production across millions of acres of federal forestland in the Pacific Northwest.

Regional Forester Jacque Buchanan said the decision follows significant public engagement on the draft environmental impact statement.

“The extensive public input we received was invaluable and underscored the need to explore more options and analysis,” Buchanan said. “We want to ensure the Northwest Forest Plan amendment is as robust as possible.”

More than 3,400 comments were submitted by tribes, government agencies, environmental groups and members of the public. According to the Forest Service, that feedback highlighted a need for a more comprehensive approach to wildfire resilience, habitat protection and active forest management.

The Northwest Forest Plan, first adopted in 1994, governs management of federal forests across Washington, Oregon and Northern California. The proposed amendment aims to update the plan to reflect modern challenges, including increasingly severe wildfire seasons and evolving economic needs tied to timber and rural communities.

Officials said the additional analysis will refine key elements of the draft plan, including definitions of forest types, clarification of commercial timber opportunities and updates to “Survey and Manage” requirements, which guide species protection efforts.

The work will also be carried out under updated rules for the National Environmental Policy Act, commonly known as NEPA. Forest Service leaders say the newer regulations are designed to streamline environmental review while maintaining transparency and public involvement.

“By pursuing this planning effort under the new NEPA regulations, we are committing to a clearer, stronger approach that supports both ecological and economic goals,” Buchanan said.

The revised timeline pushes the next major milestone to summer 2026, when the agency expects to release updated proposals for public review. A final environmental impact statement and formal decision are now anticipated in early 2028.

In the meantime, the Forest Service said it will continue consulting with tribal governments and partner agencies while seeking additional public input as the process moves forward.