ReporttotheSecretaryofAgriculture‐April2014
ForestResourcesCoordinatingCommittee
Recommendations
AlignmentofDeliverySystems
FormallyalignUSDAprogramswithStateForestActionPlansandStateWildlifeAction
Planstomaximizeconservationvaluesandensureprogramstargetstates’forestry
andwildlifeconservationpriorities.
State‐levelresourceplanningeffortsincludeextensivepublicinvolvementprocessesand
integratemultipleresourceobjectivestoimplementUSDAprograms.
MaintainStateandPrivateForestryprograms,includingtheForestStewardshipProgram,
thatengageallwoodlandowners,andespeciallythosenotyetactiveinforestmanagement
andconservation.
ThemajorrolethatStateandPrivateForestryprogramsplayinprivatelandowner
educationisrecognizedinStateForestActionPlans.Maintainedfundingofthese
programsiscriticaltotheirsuccess.
Establishandprovidefundingforadditionalprogramsthatassiststateforestryagency
deliveryoftools,approaches,andotherservicesforengagingwoodlandownersand
trackingprogressandimpactsovertime.
Itisessentialtoprovideaneffectivemeansforforestryinformationdeliverythatprovides
privateforestlandownerswithopportunitiesforengaginginandbenefittingfromlocal,
regional,andlandscape‐scaleprograms.Examplesofcooperativemulti‐agencylandowner
serviceinitiativesincludetheFloridaLandStewardProgramandUSDAONEinWisconsin.
ForestConditions
ProvideaccessbyUSDAandtheDepartmentofInteriortofederaldisasterandemergency
fundingforwildfireresponseandsuppressioncosts.
ExcessivecostsrelatedtowildfiresuppressiondiminishtheabilityoftheForestServiceto
fundotherprogramsthatimproveforestresiliencyandexpandrestorationtreatments.
WeapplaudUSDA’sleadershipinforwardingtheWildfireDisasterFundingAct.
PrioritizeUSDAinvestmentsinprivateforestlandownerprogramsthatpromoteforest
healthandresiliency.
Privateforestlandownersarethefoundationofournation’swealthinnaturalresources.
Keepingforestsasforestsmustbeanationalpriority.Programsthatsupportlong‐term
healthandsustainabilityofforestecosystems,particularlyinthefaceofinvasivepestsand
climatechange,arecritical.
1 ForestInventoryandAnalysis
ProvidefullsupportforthecoreFIAprogram,includinginventories,analysesandreports
ona5yearschedule.TheFRCCsupportsandiswillingtoassistasneededintherevisionof
theFIAstrategicplanthroughtheestablishmentofablueribbonpanel.
TheFIAprogramisthenation’sonlycomprehensiveforestinventorysystemforassessing
thehealthandsustainabilityofthenation’sforestsacrossallownerships.Thisdatahas
beenessentialtomakingsoundforestmanagementandpolicydecisionsaswellas
investmentsinnewandexpandingmarketsforover75yearsandisnowmoreimportant
thanever.
LandscapeScaleConservationandManagement
Continuetoinvestinlandscape‐scaleconservationandmanagementprograms,suchasthe
CollaborativeForestLandscapeRestorationProgramandtheChiefs’JointLandscape
RestorationPartnership.
Applylessonslearnedfromtheseeffortstoimplementanall‐landsapproachandto
establishbestpracticesthatinformacompetitivegrantsprogramthatsupportslocally‐
driven,locally‐relevant,landscape‐scaleefforts,andincentivizeseffectivepartnerships
amonglandowners,governmententitiesandcommunitiesatmeaningfulscales.
Increasecoordinationandcollaborationamongregulatoryandlandmanagementagencies
atalllevelsandinternallytoleverageexistingprogramsandresources,aswellasstateand
regionalplans[ForestActionPlans,WildlifeActionPlans]tosupportlandscapescale
conservationandmanagement.
Inthefaceofincreasingthreatstothehealthofourforests,itiscriticaltoworkwithin
andacrossinstitutionalandgeographicboundariestooperateatalandscape‐scaleto
mosteffectivelyconserve,protectandenhanceournation’sforests.
Markets
Maintainandenhanceprogramsthatdevelopandexpandmarketresearchand
infrastructureopportunitiesforprivateforestlandowners.
USDAprogramsthatprovidemarketopportunitiesforprivateforestlandownersare
criticaltosustainingworkingforestsaswellaslocalcommunitiesandeconomies.The
USDA’scontinuedinvestmentinresearchtopositionwoodasagreenbuildingmaterial
improvesmarketsforwoodproducts.Effortstoincreasefederalandprivateconstruction
withwoodproductsandexpansionofprograms,suchasthosecurrentlyavailablethrough
USDARuralDevelopment,forwoodproductutilizationarenecessarytoensureretention
ofcurrentmarketsandprovideincreasedpotentialfornewanddevelopingmarketsto
supporthealthyprivateforests.
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