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LIBBY- The Kootenai National Forest has finally released its draft plan for managing the forest in the coming years after nearly a decade of work and the document seeks to balance the use of forest resources with environmental protection.

The plan has been an on-going project for KNF managers some 30 public meetings over the years and involving more than 100 community input groups for the forest, which sprawls over thousands of acres in Northwest Montana.

The first of four public forums on the draft plan and its accompanying environmental impact statement are slated for this evening in Libby. The meeting takes place from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Libby City Hall.

Forest managers say the document represents an effort to balance the use of resources such as the forests' extensive timber and mineral deposits with "the best available science" to protect fish, wildlife and the forest's environment. Major issues expected to generate public comment include wildfire protection, preserving water quality on rivers like the Yaak and Fisher and sustainable timber harvest levels in the years to come.

The plan is also unique when it comes to National Forest planning efforts because it also merges with the Idaho Panhandle National Forest plan because of the regional ecological aspect of the two bordering forests. Copies of the plan can be viewed online.