Some Emerging Themes from Town Hall Meetings
(May 2006)

•  The Coronado National Forest is valuable to the residents of rural communities.

•  Participation in the planning process will be advantageous to local residents.

•  Solutions that seem to be offered by the planning process can have drawbacks and limitations.

•  Conflicting perceptions among stakeholders have contributed to problems with Forest management in the past.

•  The Forest Service needs to improve its collaboration with citizens who live near the Forest.

•  The Forest Plan revision needs to take local issues into account.

•  The Forest Service needs to become more adaptable.

•  The revised Forest Plan requires adequate enforcement.

•  Forest neighbors want to see “more boots on the ground” from the Forest Service.

•  The conservation community needs to become more adaptable.

•  Ranchers have a tradition of land stewardship; the Forest planning process should capitalize on it.

•  Population growth and visitation beyond carrying capacity are significant problems on the Coronado National Forest.

•  Undocumented immigration across the border with Mexico creates risks for the Forest. The Forest Service should be actively involved in crossborder issues.