Management of Angeles National Forest will be focus of upcoming meeting

The Angeles National Forest will hold a public meeting at the Pacific Community Center in Glendale Monday for residents wishing to weigh in on or learn more about the development of the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument Management Plan.

The forest is required by law to complete a Monument Plan within three years of the October 10, 2014 landmark designation. Once developed and approved, the plan will guide how monument resources and uses will be managed.

There is currently a 45-day public comment window, from June 12 to July 27, during which time members of the public can share their views on the project.

Members of the Arroyo Seco Foundation — a Pasadena organization dedicated to the preservation of the Arroyo Seco River and its watershed — are urging residents to request that the Monument Plan also include the Arroyo Seco, Tujunga Canyon and the front range of the San Gabriel Mountains.

When President Obama proclaimed the San Gabriel Mountains a National Monument last Oct. 10, those regional lands, along with the watershed of the Los Angeles River, were excluded from federal protection.

Foundation members claim the plan, as it is currently drafted, would unreasonably segment the Angeles National Forest and establish two different levels of service and resources.

Residents wishing to submit comments or requests may attend one of the five public ANF meetings or contact Forest Planner Justin Seastrand at (626) 574-5278 for more information or to request a hard copy of the scoping letter.

Monday’s meeting takes place from 4 to 8 p.m. in the Pacific Community Center, 501 S. Pacific Ave., in Glendale, with parking on Kenilworth Avenue.

For more information, visit www.fs.usda.gov/main/angeles.