I am sure some of you have seen this. If not then it is worth the read and pretty important to our hobby:

RAF Call to Action

The RAF needs your help, please take action before April 29



Background: In 2012, through a collaborative effort involving the RAF, the U.S. Forest Service/U.S. Department of Agriculture published a new planning rule to develop, revise and amend forest service land management plans. This rule will replace the previous one written in the 1980s and will be the planning “Bible” for the next 20-25 years. The RAF, and others, were able to interject recreational aviation and the importance of recognizing airstrips as a valid part of USFS infrastructure into the 2012 planning rule.



Recently, the USFS released, and is now seeking public comment on, the proposed 2012 Planning Rule Directives, a key set of agency guidance documents that will direct implementation of the 2012 Planning Rule. The proposed directives contain agency policies that serve as the basis for internal forest planning management.



These directives are critical to recreational aviation and USFS airfields since they provide procedures and techniques to be used by resource specialists and planning staff in land management planning for the national forests and grasslands. If we can get the proposed directives to recognize aviation interests, the document will influence USFS planners and managers actions concerning airstrips for the next 20 years or more, and therefore, positively affect the fate of those airstrips.



In the past, neither the old planning rule or the old directives held any direct references to USFS airstrips. Roads, trails, historic sites, and many other common infrastructure classifications were discussed in detail, but not airstrips.

Regrettably, the USFS draft of the new directives is also devoid of references to recreational aviation or airstrips. The new directives will control planning on USFS lands for many years; therefore, we need your help to correct these critical omissions.



The RAF is asking concerned pilots and friends of aviation to submit comments and ideas concerning the proposed directives, by e-mail and the U.S. mail before the deadline, April 29.



Click here for the USFS directives public comment webpage: https://cara.ecosystem-management.or...?Project=30641



Also, send a copy of your comments by mail to:



USDA/FS Planning Directives Comments

P.O. Box 40088

Portland, OR 97240



Some key points to use as a guide while drafting your comments


  • USFS airstrips are an important recreational and operational part of the USFS infrastructure. Ask the USFS to change all instances in the directives where “trails and roads” are referenced to read “trails, roads and airstrips."
  • Some airstrips predate historic trails and roads, therefore, some may also be historic sites. However, no mention of this possibility is made in the proposed directives. Historic trails, roads and buildings are discussed in detail, but not airfields. Ask the USFS to revise the proposed directives to direct planners to explore whether any airfields in their planning area may have historical significance.
  • Throughout the proposed document, various forms of recreation are listed and discussed. The 2012 Planning Rule mentions aviation as a valid form of recreation. However, the proposed directives do not mention aviation activities. Ask the USFS to include aviation as a recreational activity in the directives wherever recreational activities are listed.
  • Many USFS airstrips are maintained through joint efforts of the USFS and volunteer groups, including the RAF. Ask the USFS to revise the proposed directives to include guidance on the importance of coordinating with volunteer groups when gathering information about airstrips.
  • The chief of the USFS, leaders of other agencies, such as the Bureau of Land Management, and the U.S. Congress have all published comments on the significance of airstrips as part of an overall balanced public lands transportation system. Unfortunately, not all USFS planners and managers are familiar with the airstrips within their area. Ask the USFS to place greater emphasis on their airstrip infrastructure through direct inclusion of airstrip guidance to planners in the proposed directives.
  • The forest service owns the airstrips; it makes little sense for them to be excluded from the directives. Airstrips need to be an integral part of forest plans. Including them in the Assessment, Land Management, Monitoring, and Wilderness Evaluation Chapters of the directives puts airstrips on the same planning level as roads, trails and historic sites when forest plans are being developed or revised. Ask the USFS to revise Chapters 10, 20, 30 and 70 to place airstrips and recreational aviation on the same footing as other infrastructure and recreational activities.
  • Forest planners, who may not have detailed knowledge of airstrips within their planning area, need to be given instructions on where to find that information. The proposed directives clearly lists sources of information when accessing and planning for roads, trails, historic sites, utility corridors, etc. Airstrips need the same consideration so planners will fully understand airfield planning requirements and issues. Ask the USFS to include sources of information about airstrips to planners in the proposed directives.
  • A revolution is coming within the next 10 years involving electric powered airplanes which are inexpensive to buy, operate and maintain. When this happens, recreational aviation pressures on USFS airstrips will increase. The directives must provide planners the tools to recognize, assess and adapt to this increasing demand. Adopting the proposed directives in their current form will not accomplish this task. Ask the USFS to revise the proposed directives to include recreational aviation and airstrips in order to encompass potential future demand on airstrips.



Hints to make your comments effective


  • When you write your comments, put them in your own words. Form letters and mass e-mails are usually not counted as individual responses. Be courteous and give constructive comments. Forest Service planners have worked hard to make the proposed directives the best they can be. We’re helping them to see items they overlooked.
  • To date, the RAF has been impressed by the collaborative process the USFS/USDA have used to get this job done. There are a lot of dedicated USFS staff who just don’t think about aviation when planning. They’ve never needed to do so and they may be ignorant of the aviation thing we do.
  • Our purpose is to change that situation so that every time a plan is made or revised, airstrips will be included in that plan. That’s not happening now. With your help, we can change that situation.



Thank you for your support and participation in the RAF mission. Taking a few minutes now to ensure recreational aviation's inclusion in the USFS directives is a quick and easy investment for you, but it will yield long-term rewards for your children and grandchildren, who may wish to enjoy the aviation privileges you have. Helping now goes a long way toward protecting, preserving and creating recreational airstrips on USFS lands. Those are the reasons you joined the RAF, so let’s get this done. Be sure to e-mail, and mail, your comments as soon as possible, and no later than April 29.