News Release

Lassen Volcanic National Park Invites Public Comment on Alternatives for a Wilderness Stewardship Plan

Overlooking Wilderness from the Kings Creek Falls Trail

NPS Photo

News Release Date: April 26, 2018

Contact: Jim Richardson, 530-595-6102

MINERAL, CA – Lassen Volcanic National Park has prepared a range of alternatives for a Wilderness Stewardship Plan Environmental Assessment, and would like to invite public comment on those alternatives for the next 30 days. “This plan will provide management guidance for most of the park since 74% of Lassen Volcanic National Park is designated Wilderness and another 13% of the backcountry is managed similarly to wilderness,” stated Park Superintendent Jim Richardson.
 
Lassen Volcanic Wilderness was designated by Congress as part of the National Wilderness Preservation System on October 19, 1972. To date, 79,062 acres are designated wilderness with approximately 13,000 acres of backcountry. To provide guidance on the management of wilderness and backcountry areas, Lassen Volcanic National Park is developing a Wilderness Stewardship Plan.  Once complete, this plan will include a framework for the management and use of wilderness and backcountry resources including, but not limited to, cultural resources, research, trail use and maintenance, climbing, camping, stock use, and administrative activities. 
 
The purpose of the Wilderness Stewardship Plan is to guide the preservation of wilderness character in Lassen Volcanic National Park.  National Park Service (NPS) policy directs wilderness stewardship plans to include “desired future conditions; as well as establish indicators, standards, conditions, and thresholds beyond which management actions will be taken to reduce human impacts to wilderness resources.”  The goals of the plan are to:
 
·         Preserve, restore, and protect the natural and untrammeled qualities of Lassen Volcanic Wilderness;
·         Provide visitors with diverse opportunities to experience wilderness without compromising wilderness values;
·         Preserve and provide guidance on the management of wilderness and backcountry areas within Lassen Volcanic National Park;
·         Protect significant examples of Other Features of Value, such as historic structures;
·         Demonstrate wilderness leadership by establishing comprehensive approaches to protect the park’s wilderness character in keeping with the Wilderness Act;
·         Enhance understanding of wilderness values and the virtues of stewardship;
·         Coordinate with agencies to promote cohesive wilderness management; and
·         Preserve and maintain wilderness character and values using appropriate management actions.

The Environmental Assessment is available electronically for review and comment online by visiting https://parkplanning.nps.gov/WSPAlternatives the NPS Planning Environment and Public Comment (PEPC) online system. Comments will be accepted through May 26, 2018. The NPS prefers comments to be submitted in writing on the same site. However, comments may also be sent to:
 
Superintendent, Lassen Volcanic National Park, P.O. Box 100, Mineral, California  96063
 
Commenters should be aware that their entire comment—including personal identifying information—may be made publicly available at any time.  While commenters can ask that their personal identifying information be withheld from public review, the National Park Service cannot guarantee that this will be possible.

-NPS-
 
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