From Carolina Public Press, May 12, 2016:
James Melonas, deputy supervisor of the National Forests in North Carolina (NFsNC) office addressed a crowd of Forest Service colleagues at an April national training in Denver to share his thoughts on the ongoing Pisgah and Nantahala National Forests plan revision effort in Western North Carolina.
His message: be transparent and build trust.
“Really focusing on relationships and engaging folks as early as possibly well before the revision starts is critical,” Melonas said.
Melonas hopes his office’s approach to both will pay off as his agency prepares to release two vital documents in the multiyear planning process:
- the draft revised forest plan
- the draft environmental impact statement.
Homage to Appalachia 