@ United States Forest National Forests 200 S. Lamar Street; Suite 500-N

Department of Service In Mississippi P.O. Box 44
Agriculture Forest Supervisor’s Office Jackson, MS 39201-4003
601/965-1600
File Code: 1920

Date: 1 AyG 29 2014

Dear Planning Participant:

We released the revised Land and Resource Management Plan and Final Environmental Impact
Statement for the National Forests in Mississippi. The revised Plan will guide management
activities on the 1.2 million acres of national forest system lands in Mississippi for the next 10 to
15 years. The Plan is the result of a collaborative effort between National Forest managers,
partner agencies, conservation organizations, and interested members of the public.

Enclosed with this letter is a compact disc containing a copy of the following planning
documents:

e Land and Resource Management Plan

e Final Environmental Impact Statement

e Final Environmental Impact Statement Appendices
e Record of Decision

These planning documents are also available on-line at www.fs.usda.gov/mississippi. Printed
copies are also available upon request.

The revised Plan establishes a strong commitment to an all-lands approach to conserve high
priority forest ecosystems and landscapes in Mississippi. The Plan promotes achievement of
many state-wide goals and objectives including: restoration and management of longleaf pine
within its historical range; suppression and eradication of non-native and invasive plants and
pests; restoration of fire-adapted lands and reduction of risk of wildfire impacts; protection and
enhancement of water quality; protection, conservation, and enhancement of fish and wildlife
tesources; and management of forests to mitigate and adapt to global climate change.

A legal notice announcing the release of the revised Plan and its associated National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) documents will also be published in our newspaper of record,
the Clarion-Ledger, on or near the same date as the Federal Register notice.

Highlights of the Plan include:

° Improving and restoring whole native ecosystems by converting plantings of loblolly and
slash pines to native longleaf pine, shortleaf pine, and hardwoods at about 2,300 acres annually.

These species are more resilient to extreme weather events such as hurricanes and can sequester

more carbon than the loblolly plantations.

° Maintaining a diversity of tree ages, from regeneration to old growth, to support a
sustainable mix of ecological conditions across the landscape. The overall strategy is to have a
distribution of old growth stands in all ecological systems, with approximately 10 percent of
each forest ecosystem in old growth conditions.

USDA

America’s Working Forests - Caring Every Day in Every Way Printed on lecycted Paper o


Planning Participant Letter
Page 2

. Protecting species diversity, including 10 Threatened and Endangered species, by
enhancing and maintaining species habitat and ecosystem diversity. The Nature Conservancy,
USDI Fish and Wildlife Service and the Mississippi Department of Wildlife Fisheries and Parks
have been partners on identifying native ecological systems and species needs throughout the
revision process.

. Restoring historic fire regimes and reduce fuel loadings by maintaining current level of
prescribed burning averaging approximately 200,000 acres annually.

. Maintaining a steady flow of timber products (90 million board feet annually) from
restoration and forest health practices.

C Public safety and environmental protection are the main priorities for managing and
sustaining the roads, trails, and facilities that make up forest infrastructure.

The National Forests in Mississippi encompass about 1.2 million acres of land and consist of six
forests: Bienville, Delta, Holly Springs, Homochitto, Tombigbee, and De Soto (which also
includes the Chickasawhay Ranger District).

For more information, visit the website: www.fs.usda.gov/mississippi, or contact the Forest
Supervisor's office at the address or phone number listed at the top of this letter.

Sincerely,