Forest Service to publish statewide maps Nov. 17; clarifies how "ongoing" harvests transition to new standards

Adam Kates said the forest online notification system will display statewide‑standards maps for the unorganized territories beginning Nov. 17, 2025, and that both statewide layers and LUPC data sets will be visible to help users determine permitting needs.

Kates described available products: georeferenced PDFs and downloadable GIS data sets that include watershed/drainage break points and 75‑ and 250‑foot buffers. He said those downloads will allow operators to overlay statewide standards and LUPC layers in their GIS workflows, while cautioning that the maps are guidance and on‑the‑ground verification remains the primary responsibility of the operator.

On the transition of active harvests, Kates said the rule allows an "ongoing harvest job" to continue under Chapter 27 if a forest notification was filed and certified and harvesting had begun by Jan. 2, 2026. To reduce ambiguity the agency interprets "begun" to mean a log landing has been established, trees have been felled, or skidding/forwarding is underway. Kates warned that noncontiguous notified areas not yet started must follow Chapter 21 after the effective date.

Kates also clarified that the online mapping system will flag overlaps with LUPC zones and indicate which permits may be required and which agency to contact. He asked participants to expect a segmented recording and to attend in‑person trainings for technical demonstrations of the notification mapping tools.

No formal actions were taken during the webinar; the session was informational.