State Forest Action Plans: Protecting, Enhancing and Conserving

State and Private Forests

Joint Forestry Team • USDA Forest Service (USFS)

• Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS)

• National Association of State Foresters (NASF)

• National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD)

Focus Areas: • Overcoming barriers

• Coordinated approach

• Increasing public outreach

• Communicate programs and initiatives

State Forestry Overview • Forests cover about one-third of the United States

• Nearly 59% of all forests in the United States are privately owned

with another 9% state-owned.

• State forestry agencies in cooperation with federal agencies and

other partners are the focus of forestry activities in the United States.

What are the Forest Action Plans?

• Statewide forest resource assessments and strategies

• Authorized by the forestry title of the 2008 Farm Bill

• Collectively these 59 plans are the guiding documents for the

future of America’s forests

• Help target limited resources where they are needed most

What are the Forest Action Plans? • Generally identify issues - trends - opportunities

• Outline priorities

• Identify geographic areas for particular focus

• Engage partners and stakeholders – Input and involvement is

important

• Meant to be revisited every 5 years and redone every 10 years

• Can be revised/rewritten at any time

Addressing National Priorities • Forest Action Plans are a crucial part of a national effort to protect

and sustain healthy forests

• Focused on addressing national priorities for state and private

forestry:

• Conserve working forest landscapes;

• Protect forests from harm;

• Enhance public benefits from trees and forests.

Find Your State at ForestActionPlans.org

Wyoming Forest Action Plan

Wyoming Forest Action Plan Challenges

- Percentage of federal forest land in the state - Lack of infrastructure - Rapidly changing conditions from Bark Beetle - Acceptance of process from staff, partners, Legislature, USDA Forest Service

Wyoming Conservation District and Other Partners Support Governor’s Task Force on Forests

Wyoming Assistance to landowners and communities with help

of: WUI, HAZ Fuels, Stewardship, Community, Forest Health, LSR

State bark beetle dollars

Wyoming • Leveraging limited resources for cross-

boundary work; Partnerships are Key BLM/State/USFS forestry partnership position Pole Mountain Project using Wyden authority

Wyoming • Leveraging limited resources for cross-

boundary work; Partnerships are Key State Helitack Partnership: State Forestry/NRCS/NWTF/Conservation Districts

Wyoming Forest Action Plan Moving Forward: • Continue Implementing Action Plan on all Ownerships • Good Neighbor Authority and other tools • Partnerships and Collaboration are the keys to success • Forest Action Plan to be updated in 2019

Colorado’s Forest Action Plan

Mike Lester, State Forester and Director January 31, 2017

Colorado’s FAP

• Developed via direction from USFS and NASF

• First CO geospatial assessment published in 2009; in-person input solicited from stakeholders in 2014; next version 2019

Visit csfs.colostate.edu/forest-action-plan/

Components of Colorado’s FAP

Assessing Colorado’s Forests

• Process utilized and people engaged • Brief history of forest uses • Forest types and ownership • Conditions, trends and priority landscapes • State maps of priority areas by themes

o Conserve Working Forest Landscapes o Protect Forests from Harm o Enhance Public Benefits from Trees and Forests

Threats to Colorado’s Forests

• Forest fragmentation • Decline of forest products businesses • Insects and diseases • Wildfire • Climatic impacts on resiliency and

adaptability • Watershed risks • Decline of riparian eco-systems • Air quality issues

CO’s 10 Overarching Strategies

1. Manage forests according to appropriate science-based information

2. Actively manage forests to improve resiliency and adaptability

3. Develop a strategic marketing and communications plan

4. Foster a viable forest products industry 5. Collaborate management across

ownerships

Additional Strategies

6. Use the assessment to support forest management

7. Focus efforts to leverage resources 8. Work with neighboring states to conserve

working forest lands 9. Restore ecosystem function at appropriate

scale 10.Reduce process impediments

FAP in Progress: Collaboration with Conservation Districts

State forestry partnerships with conservation districts allow use of our respective assets to enhance the quality of service and support

available to landowners. Examples: 1. Conservation efforts using CSFS Nursery stock 2. Upper South Platte Partnership 3. $3.25 million NRCS Regional Conservation

Partnership (RCPP) Grant

Trees, shrubs and perennials grown by CSFS

• Reforest burned & flooded areas • Stabilize soil & control erosion • Enhance habitats • Create shelterbelts

Recent partnerships with CDs: Colorado (28), Wyoming (28), Texas (23) Oklahoma (7), Nebraska (2), New Mexico (2)

Upper S Platte Partnership

• Five year collaboration of 10 entities (NRCS, CSFS, Jefferson Conservation District, USFS, national and local non-profits, water providers and university centers)

• In a high-priority watershed along populated Denver’s Front Range

• Fosters proactive forest management by private landowners to accomplish personal goals and contribute to watershed restoration

Working together on the landscape and in our communities

• Integrate skills and knowledge to enhance technical assistance provided to landowners

• Provide common understanding and messaging regarding conservation practices and priorities

• Leverage our joint resources and expertise to make a more profound impact on our mountains, plains, riparian areas and urban forests.

Possibilities

• Joint landowner education programs • Intermittent program updates – invite your local

forester to board meetings • State Forest Stewardship Coordinating

Committee • State Technical Committee • Collaborative and partnership groups o Community Tree Boards o Watershed Protection Groups o Wildfire Councils

Thank You