River Management Plan initiation

The National Park Service (NPS) is pleased to announce the development of a river management plan to guide the future of Buffalo National River. The river management plan will provide a framework and guidance for future management of the river. We invite you to participate in the development of this plan now and in the months to come. This newsletter provides general background about this important planning effort and guidance on how you can provide input for consideration in developing this plan. We look forward to hearing from you.

The purpose of the river management plan is to ensure the protection of the river's free-flowing character, natural and cultural resources, and wilderness and backcountry values. This planning effort will revisit the 1983 river use plan and provide a management framework for future decisions that will support the protection of the resources while providing a range of river-based recreational opportunities and visitor experiences focused on the river corridor and associated access infrastructure. Sharing your feedback on your river management interests, concerns, and issues is integral to this planning effort.

The purpose of this newsletter is to share awareness of this planning effort and to invite the public and stakeholders to submit input that will be considered in the development of this plan. This is the first of three opportunities to provide input into this planning process.

The RMP will not address or propose a change in designation, a change in designation would be done through Congressional action. At this time, Buffalo National River designation has not changed.

Topic Questions:

1. How do you experience the Buffalo National River? What makes the Buffalo National River special to you and why?

2. Please provide input on the Key Issues described above. What other challenges do you recommend the planning team consider that most interfere with your desired park experience as it relates to river activities and access? What is the park doing well to manage these issues that you would like to see continue?

3. What experiences do you want future river users to have when visiting the Buffalo National River?

4. Please share any additional comments or suggestions.

Document Content:

BUFF_RMP_2024_newsletter508_final.pdf   (2.4 MB, PDF file) RMP Comment Clark.pdf   (754.9 KB, PDF file) BUFF_River-Use-Management-Plan_EA_1983_508.pdf   (23.3 MB, PDF file) Disclaimer: Links within the above document(s) were valid as of the date published. Note: Some of the files may be in PDF format and can be viewed using the Adobe Acrobat Reader software. You may download a free copy of from Adobe Systems.