The public is invited to get involved in the revision of the forest plan that will guide the forest management practices for the 1.1 million-acre Lincoln National Forest in Southern New Mexico for the next 10 to 15 years.

The USDA Forest Service has posted The Draft Forest Plan and The Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) on its website and encourages the community to comment on the draft plan.

“It is time for us to revise our existing plan. We invite you to work with us to develop a new plan that promotes a healthy, diverse, and productive Lincoln National Forest,” the USDA Forest Service stated on its website.

USDA Forest Service is currently accepting feedback from the public and will be receiving them until Friday, Nov. 5.

“The public will be invited to be involved throughout the process either through formal 'scoping' and 'comment' periods along with other avenues to be determined,” the USDA Forest Service said.

The plan outlines how forest resources will be managed, while the draft environmental impact statement illustrates how management activities will affect the environment and forest.

“Our goal is to remain inclusive and efficient as we move through the collaborative planning process,” the USDA Forest Service added.  

Lincoln National Forest is managed under the U.S. Forest Service and is located in southern New Mexico, according to Wikipedia. The Lincoln Forest Reserve spans 1,103,897 acres which starts near the Texas border, and spreads to parts of Chaves, Eddy, Lincoln, and Otero counties.

Sacramento, Guadalupe, Capitan, and Jicarilla Mountains are the four major mountain ranges that encompasses the Lincoln National Forest. The mountains which allow visual backdrops range approximately from 4,000 to 12,000 feet.

The Forest serves over 200,000 residents of its four counties and “3,000,000 neighbors in adjacent areas who rely on the Forest to varying degrees as a source of sustenance,” according to the preliminary draft plan.