##### Challenges

Workshop participants said that maintaining engagement with the public throughout the monitoring process is a challenge. The public generally displayed concern about a few key areas of interest, such as specific species, fires, and wilderness. The primary groups involved represented environmental interests rather than a diverse set of stakeholders.

#### 3.1.9 Tools that Emerged During the Public Engagement Sessions

The group identified several tools that are available and may be useful to forests across the system. For instance, based on the experiences and lessons learned in public engagement of the three early adopters in the region, Region 5 developed guidance for public affairs officers and interdisciplinary team leaders to identify best practices for engaging the public. This Public Involvement Guide includes outlining the phases of planning and helps forests plan out the steps that they will take to meet the requirements. This guidance includes three tools, including the Public Involvement Guide, a two-page checklist to help forests see the big picture of public engagement, and a SharePoint site that provides resources such as lessons learned, templates, and training. This guidance can be found at: https://ems-team.usda.gov/sites/fs-r05- pifpr/SitePages/Welcome!.aspx

Another tool, developed by the National Inventory Monitoring and Assessment Strategy Implementation Team in the Washington Office, includes a chart that illustrates the planning milestones and when planners might involve various partners and groups identified in the rule. Further information about this tool can be found at: https://ems-team.usda.gov/sites/fs-nrm-imac/SitePages/Home.aspx

#### 3.1.10 Summary

Under the 2012 planning rule, plan revisions must involve public participation and collaboration throughout all stages. Themes and best practices discussed by workshop attendees included the following:

- • transparent and encouraging early and often open communication with the • transparent and encouraging early and often open communication with the public;
- • a public engagement strategy and roadmap early, in tandem with • a public engagement strategy and roadmap early, in tandem with developing a project management plan to establish timelines, identify bottlenecks, and clarify expectations;
- • a pre-assessment phase to prepare for revision, including developing a • a pre-assessment phase to prepare for revision, including developing a project management plan, rapid stakeholder assessment, and developing a preliminary SCC list;
- • strong relationships with the public early and maintaining them throughout • strong relationships with the public early and maintaining them throughout revision;
- • a variety of outreach methods; and, • a variety of outreach methods; and,
- • a social scientist or collaboration specialist. • a social scientist or collaboration specialist.

### 3.2 Assessments

The plan revision process consists of three phases: assessment, plan revision, and monitoring. Assessment is required and discussed at 36 CFR §219.6 of the rule and Chapter 10 of the directives. In the assessment phase, the responsible official must rapidly identify and evaluate relevant and existing information to provide a solid base of information and context for plan