The Forest Service announced that on Jan. 20, the Stanislaus National Forest had launched the framework of a newly-formatted, publicly accessible forest Web site. At that time, local forest personnel will continue updating the site with recreation information and professional grade, downloadable photographic images.

Once completed, the redesigned Stanislaus National Forest Web site will improve public access, provide frequent information updates, and showcase a range of landscape images in a photo gallery. Like the former site, the new Web site will also continue link to publicly accessible Web pages locally, regionally, and nationally within the Forest Service.

Users will be automatically directed to the new site URL of http://fs.usda.gov/stanislaus when visiting the old Web site address. All Stanislaus NF planning documents, including documents related to the recent Forest Travel Management Environmental Impact Statement and Record of Decision, as well as the Forest Schedule of Proposed Actions, will be available at the new site at that time. The upgraded site will be completed by May 1, in time for the upcoming summer season.

The Web site upgrades are part of a national Forest Service effort to adopt a consistent and standardized “look and feel” for all its public web pages and content. In order to provide web audiences accessible, instant recognition of Forest Service Web content, all Forest Service offices and units are adopting official templates when publishing content to the Web.

The initial framework of the Stanislaus National Forest site will be launched by Forest Service webmaster Larry Cregger, and completed locally by forest personnel.

For more information, call the Stanislaus National Forest Public Affairs Office at 532- 3671 extension 244 or 245, or visit http://fs.usda.gov/stanislaus.