[PCA] Help protect native plants: comment on Shenandoah outcrop management plan
MALawler at aol.com
MALawler at aol.com
Thu Dec 11 20:00:04 CST 2008
The National Park Service has re-released the Shenandoah Rock Outcrop
Management Plan Environmental Assessment and Climbing Guidelines for public
comment. You can find the document on line at:
_http://parkplanning.nps.gov/document.cfm?parkId=274&projectId=19298&documentI
D=25100_
(http://parkplanning.nps.gov/document.cfm?parkId=274&projectId=19298&documentID=25100)
While reorganized, it is substantively the same as the assessment released a
year ago, but withdrawn for "technical" reasons. The Virginia Native Plant
Society supports Alternative C: Emphasis on Natural Resource Protection.
While the NPS Preferred Alternative B: Balance between Natural Resource
Protection and Visitor Use goes a long way toward reducing human impacts, "state
rare plant and lichen populations would continue to be vulnerable to damage and
loss..." under this alternative. Specific impacts of the preferred
alternative can be found on page 89. The growing climate crisis will make plant
communities even more vulnerable. Please take the time to comment on this
management plan and climbing guidelines and support Alternative C before December 19.
We will share the final VNPS comments before that date. The NPS
announcement is below.
National Park Service Seeks Comments on Environmental Assessment for Rock
Outcrop Management Plan
Park Superintendent Martha Bogle announced today that the public is invited
to review and comment on the revised Shenandoah National Park “Rock Outcrop
Management Plan (ROMP) and Environmental Assessment (EA), including
Climbing Management Guidelines.
The EA has been prepared in compliance with the National Environmental
Policy Act (NEPA) to provide the decision framework for the following:
Analysis of a reasonable range of alternatives to meet management
objectives;
evaluation of potential issues and impacts to natural and cultural
resources and values and the human environment; and
identification of mitigation measures to lessen the degree of those
impacts.
Shenandoah National Park has completed an extensive three-year project to
inventory the natural resources of and assess recreation use and impacts to
rock outcrops and cliff areas in the park. The result is a Rock Outcrop
Management Plan and Climbing Management Guidelines that meet the park’s
mission goal to preserve resources and allow recreation activities at an
acceptable level of impact. The plans are based on scientific inventories
and research, with involvement of hikers, climbers, nature enthusiasts and
other park supporters who could be affected by park management decisions.
The National Park Service encourages public participation through the NEPA
process. The public has the opportunity to comment on the EA until
December 19, 2008. The EA is available for review and comment on-line at
the National Park Service park planning website
http://parkplanning.nps.gov/shen where comments may be posted on-line, or
comments can be sent to : Superintendent, Shenandoah National Park,
Attention: ROMP EA, 3655 U.S. Highway 211 East, Luray, VA, 22835.
Requests for a printed copy of the EA can also be made by calling
540-999-3300. Printed copies of the EA are available for review at park
headquarters.
The National Park Service released the original ROMP EA on October 1, 2007,
but suspended review of that document almost three weeks later due to
technical problems. Comments received from the public last October have
been retained and will be considered by park staff.
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