Hello Fellow Sportsmen and Sportswomen:

We at a critical point of opportunity to better protect some of California's best backcountry fishing and hunting opportunity. The Forest Service is seeking public feedback on the agency's Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) and Draft Revised Land Management Plans for Sierra, Sequoia and Inyo National Forests.

Trout Unlimited urges all sportsmen to weigh in on this process to: (1) support protection of high quality headwater habitat, wild and scenic rivers, and other areas of high habitat value (2) promote native trout habitat restoration and enhancement efforts and (3) provide sustainable recreation opportunity.

These documents provide management direction for aquatics systems - including rivers, stream, and meadows - and the fish species that depend on them.  The Southern Sierra Forests host some of California's most sensitive fish species, including California golden trout, Little Kern golden trout and Kern River rainbow trout.  These Management Plans regulate important impact issues such as grazing, roads, logging, mining as well as provide direction for prioritizing restoration for the most degraded watersheds.  

The Forest Service is inviting public feedback on the DEIS and Draft Management Plans for the three Early Adopter Forests, and there are several ways you can help represent sportsmen's interests:

The Forest Service is hosting public workshops to gather feedback on the recently released draft documents.  All meetings are open to the public, and are an opportunity to submit written or verbal feedback to Forest Service staff.

June 13th (Monday) in Mammoth Lakes. 6-8pm.

Mammoth Lakes Cerro Coso Community College

101 College Pkwy Mammoth Lakes, CA

June 14th (Tuesday) in Bishop.  6-8pm.

Cerro Coso Community College - Eastern Sierra Campus

4090 W Line St Bishop, CA

June 15th (Wednesday) in Porterville. 6-8pm.

Sequoia National Forest Service - Forest Supervisor Office

1839 South Newcomb St Porterville, CA

June 16th (Thursday) in Clovis.  6-8pm.

Clovis Memorial Veterans Hall

808 4th St Clovis, CA

June 22nd (Wednesday) in Los Angeles Area. 6-9pm.

CalState University - Northridge Campus

University Student Union, Thousand Oaks Room

18111 Nordhoff St Northridge, CA

June 23nd (Wednesday) in Los Angeles Area. 5-8pm.

El Pueblo Historical Monument

125 Paseo de la Plaza, Pico House Los Angeles, CA

June 29th (Wednesday) in San Francisco Area. 6-9pm.

Fort Mason, Gallery 308

2 Marina Blvd #308 San Francisco, CA

August 1st (Monday) in Mammoth Lakes. 6-8pm.

Mammoth Lakes Cerro Coso Community College

101 College Pkwy Mammoth Lakes, CA

August 2nd (Tuesday) in Bishop.  6-8pm.

Cerro Coso Community College - Eastern Sierra Campus

4090 W Line St Bishop, CA

August 3rd (Wednesday) in Bakersfield. 6-8pm.

Doubletree-Hilton

3100 Camino Del Rio Court (Junction of Hwy 178 and Hwy 99) Bakersfield, CA

August 4th (Thursday) in Clovis.  6-8pm.

Clovis Memorial Veterans Hall

808 4th St Clovis, CA

*ONLINE WEBINAR OPTION - June 28th 12-1:30pm. REGISTER HERE

If you cannot attend a public meeting, written feedback can be submitted through August 25th, 2016.

Mail: Planning Team Leader, Forest Plan Revision

1839 South Newcomb Street

Porterville, CA 93257

E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Online: HERE

Trout Unlimited will submit a formal letter to the Forest Service on the DEIS and Draft Management Plans. Our focus will be on management strategies related to aquatics, roads, habitat restoration and other issue areas pertinent to TU's mission to protect, reconnect, restore and sustain fish and wildlife habitats, and those areas utilized by California sportsmen.

Please help us by co-signing our letter as an individual, organization or business. To do this, please contact:

Jessica D. Strickland, TU California Field Coordinator
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
830.515.9917

RESPONSE NEEDED BY COB AUGUST 20th, 2016

To access the Forest Plan Revision documents, you can download them from the Region 5 Planning Website HERE.  Their website contains the DEIS, Draft Managment Plans and various maps (including proposed wilderness evaluations) and other supporting documentation. 

Forest Plan Revisions under the 2012 Planning Rule offer a unique opportunity to better manage some of highest quality fish and game habitat and hunting and fishing opportunity in the Nation.

The 2012 Planning Rule includes stronger protections for forests, water and wildlife while supporting the economic vitality of rural communities.  Revised plans must protect water resources and emphasize restoration to facilitate landscape resilience to our warming climate and other ecosystem stressors.

Watch TU's Video on CA Forest Planning: http://youtu.be/ItS9oNlp6Cc

Items for Discussion at Public Meetings:

The Three Early Adopter Forests contain 5 native California trout species:

- CA golden trout

- Little Kern golden trout

- Kern River rainbow trout

- Lahontan cutthroat trout*

- Paiute cuttroat trout*

Management plan components should protect key habitats for these species, restore known degraded areas and routinely monitor populations to ensure management strategies are promoting success and providing usable data for adaptive management strategies.

*Outside native range, but genetically pure populations

Meadows are key headwater habitats for native trout species and should be better protected and retored if degraded.  Stressors such as roads, grazing and resource extraction should be limited in such areas.

Establishing new or expanding existing "Critical Aquatic Refuges" offer opportunity to better protect vulnerable trout species.  These Refuges should be established using the Best Available Science, such as TU's Conservation Success Index.

Improperly maintained or ill-placed roads are a documented primary threat to aquatic systems.  "Risky" roads restoration should be a restoration priority for Sierra Nevada forest.

Wilderness Areas and Wild and Scenic River designations provide some of the best opportunity for protecting high quality fish and game habitat.  Management strategies should ensure proper protection of these special places.

Partnerships are key to maintaining or restoring key aquatic and terrestrial habitats on our public lands. Management Plans should facilitate opportunities for agencies and organizations to work together - as seen in the California Golden Trout Project.   

Sierra Nevada Forests - CA Early Adopters

CA golden trout, Sequoia National Forest

Volunteers at Casa Vieja Meadows, CA Golden Trout Project

Templeton Meadow, Kern Plateau Inyo NF

Large golden trout, Inyo NF