Was the Mediated Settlement Agreement an effective tool for resolving conflicts?
The MSA was a means for resolving an otherwise irreconcilable conflict among the Forest Service, environmental, recreation and commodity interests. The agreement applied only to the Sequoia National Forest; however, in 1992 uniform policies for giant sequoia were extended to all of the national forests with naturally occurring giant sequoia groves (Sierra, Sequoia, and Tahoe National Forests) through Regional Forester Ronald Stewarts direction and a subsequent 1992 proclamation by President George Bush. The goal shall be to protect, preserve, and restore the Groves for the benefit and enjoyment of present and future generations. The MSA specifies a process for the identification of grove administrative zone and grove influence zone boundaries. Grove-specific management plans are required. Permitted activities within the groves and grove influence zones are listed. The mediation process appears to have been a practical approach to resolving the giant sequoia conflict of 1988. Mediation
