Congaree National Park Fire Management Plan

March 1, 2017

Superintendent Tracy Stakely has announced the release of the Congaree National Park Fire Management Plan Environmental Assessment (EA). The EA addresses a proposal by the National Park Service (NPS) to update, develop and implement a Fire Management Plan (FMP) for Congaree National Park. The FMP addresses fire management operations for the park to include ecological management and wildland fires.

Three alternatives are analyzed in this document.  Alternative A is the continuance of current fire management practices (No Action Alternative).  It involves suppression efforts related to wildfires and limited prescribed burning to support ecological initiatives.  Alternative B involves comprehensive ecological restoration and management strategies (Proposed Action/Preferred Alternative).  It provides enhanced opportunities to restore and manage critical ecological areas within the park.  Alternative C is similar to Alternative B but does not permit wheeled or tracked equipment in wilderness, limiting fire management efforts.

The park is inviting comments.  If you wish to comment on the environmental assessment, you can post comments online at http://parkplanning.nps.gov/CONG or you may mail comments to the name and address listed below.  This environmental assessment will be open for public review for 30 days beginning March 1, 2017.

 

Superintendent

Congaree National Park

100 National Park Road

Hopkins, SC 299061

 

Before including your address, phone number, email address, or other personal identifying information in your comments, you should be aware that your entire comment––including your personal identifying information––may be made publicly available at any time. Commenters may ask that their comments and identifying information be withheld from public release, but the National Park Service cannot guarantee that they will be able to do so.

 

Join Congaree National Park on social media: www.facebook.com/CongareeNP, www.twitter.com/CongareeNPS, www.flickr.com/photos/congareenps/ and www.pinterest.com/congareenps.