Buffalo Springs Restoration Project – Public Engagement

As stewards of the land, we are entrusted by the American people to take a holistic look at forest ecosystems and make informed decisions about the future direction of those ecosystems and any needed management actions to improve conditions. An important part of that process is involving the local community, interested organizations, and forest visitors. This page is to share information about the Buffalo Springs Restoration Project and keep you updated on its status.

For more information:

View a Detailed Map of Proposed Treatments
Read Our Newsletter Introduction to the Project
View Video Presentations by Our Specialists
Learn More about the Importance of Young Forest Habitat
View the official Buffalo Springs Restoration Project page for all information related to National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), including information on public scoping and commenting.
Information on the Native Hardwood Restoration Demonstration Site

Next Steps

At this time we are reviewing public comments, preparing responses to comments, and expect a final environmental assessment on the Buffalo Springs Restoration Project by the fall of 2024.

In early July, 2023, the most recent draft of the Phased Programmatic Agreement (regarding cultural resource surveys for the Buffalo Springs Restoration Project) was sent to the Tribal Nations and State Historic Preservation Officer for review.

Public Engagement

January 24, 2023

District Ranger Chris Thornton and Climate Adaptation Specialist Todd Ontl discuss the draft environmental assessment for the Buffalo Springs Restoration Project, the need to improve forest diversity and health, and the science behind managing forests for better resilience in a changing climate.

You can listen to the In This Climate Podcast here.

November 17, 2022

A news release was sent to local media informing the public of the release of the draft environmental assessment and 30-day public comment period. Comments must be received by 11:59 p.m. (EST) December 19, 2022. Regulations prohibit extending the length of the comment period.

August, 2022

An update newsletter was published announcing the draft environmental assessment expected release in October, 2022.

April 26, 2022

An informational public meeting was held virtually from 6 to 8 pm.

Click the link above for the meeting recording, or view the presentations at the links below:

April 22, 2022

Four public field tours were conducted between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. Click on the topic below to view the recording:

March 14, 2022

A news release was sent to local media informing the public of the Field Tour, Virtual Public Meeting, online map and draft cultural heritage programmatic agreement.

December 3, 2021

A news release was sent to local media to update the public that the project is now in the analysis stage. A draft environmental assessment is anticipated to be released for public review and comment around April 2022.

October 14, 2021

A public scoping letter and maps were released announcing the initiation of the Buffalo Springs Restoration Project and inviting the public to provide comments on the proposal. The 30-day public scoping period ends November 15, 2021.

May 15, 2021

Preliminary public input was reviewed and a news release was sent to local media explaining the District Ranger’s decision to move forward with a project proposal to meet the desired conditions and implement improvements.

March 03, 2021

An article was published in the Bloomington Herald Times informing the public about the Buffalo Springs Area of Interest and asking for public input.

March 02, 2021

Copies of the newsletter were posted and delivered to public locations (libraries, French Lick Visitor Center, Lost River Market) in Orange and Crawford counties.

February 16, 2021

Specialist videos on current conditions were made available on this webpage.

January 08, 2021

A newsletter with information on current conditions and a call out to the public for information was made available via email and this website. In addition, a news release was sent to local media.