Working Effectively with the Forest Service
Learning Topic
An important part of the National Forest Foundation's purpose is to support and encourage productive working relationships between the U.S. Forest Service and communities of interest and of place.
Partnership Resource Center
The Partnership Resource Center offers a variety of resources on partnering and collaborating with the Forest Service. The Partnership Guide is a reference tool offering information about how the Forest Service is structured, instruments (agreements) used by the agency, and a guide to the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), among other topics.
Conservation Connect Best Practices and Tools
Creative Approach to a Field Trip
Collaborators on a restoration project on the Deschutes National Forest gained knowledge and
understanding of both the project and one another's perspectives through a hands-on activity
during a field trip.
Creative Forest Service Approach to Travel Planning
This Best Practice document describes how the Cibola National Forest used both public meetings
and a collaborative work group in their travel management planning process on the Sandia
District.
The National Assessment of Travel Management Planning by the USDA Forest Service: Challenges, Recommendations, and Best Practices for Public Involvement is an excellent compilation of effective approaches used by National Forests (as well as recommendations) in engaging the public in travel management planning.
Forest Service Handover Memo Can Ease Staff Transitions
The Forest Service's handover memo process enables an outgoing agency leader to share information
with their replacement about community collaborations.
Community Collaborative Develops Process to Orient New
Members
The Diablo Trust, after learning about the Forest Service's "handover memo", developed a
transition process to orient new members of the community collaborative.
The Watershed Research and Training Center provides a list of best practices to achieve a "triple bottom line" while employing field crews for projects on National Forest lands.
Examples and Best Practices for Formal Agreements with the Forest Service
Formalized Agreement between a Collaborative and the Forest
Service
The Northeast Washington Forestry Coalition developed clearly defined guidelines for determining
and communicating levels of support for Forest Service projects.
Multi-Agency MOU Coordinates Landscape Restoration
Multiple interests joined together in a common plan for the Uncompahgre Plateau through a
Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).
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Project-Specific Collection Agreements
The Upper Deschutes Watershed Council and the Deschutes National Forest define tasks and
responsibilities through project-specific collection agreements.
How the Forest Service and a Nonprofit Share an Employee
The Crooked River Watershed Council and the Ochoco National Forest have shared a hydrologist
since 2001 under a Participating Agreement.
Umbrella Agreement Enables Flexibility in a Partnership
A Challenge Cost-share Agreement enables a nonprofit and the Deschutes National Forest to share
and exchange services, supplies and funding as needed.
Peer Learning Sessions related to Working with the Forest Service
Collaboration and the Federal Advisory Committee Act (Peer
Learning Session Summary. Held on May 6, 2009)Navigating the Swirling Waters of Collaboration (Peer Learning Session Summary. Held on August 20, 2008)
Landscape Assessments, NEPA Processes and Collaboration: held July 22, 2010
With the Forest Service’s focus on landscape-scale conservation, the agency is using new approaches to assess the condition of large acreages of forest. At the same time, many collaborative groups are working to increase the impact of their agreements across larger areas. Is this a new way of doing business for the agency, and how does it affect National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) processes?
- Click here to hear and view a recast of the session. Due to technical difficulties, the audio does not play for two short periods in the session. We recommend that you "fast forward" to 8 minutes into the session when you begin listening.
Stewardship Authorities, Ecosystem Services and County Payments: held August 3, 2010
Mark Haggerty and Megan Lawson at Headwaters Economics presented information about their research using data from existing stewardship contracts to estimate the non-market values produced on National Forests and to showcase the importance of stewardship and restoration work on National Forests. They explored a real-world application of these concepts by discussing the pros and cons of linking county payments to the value of ecosystem services.- Click here to hear and view a recast of the session.
- View interactive mapsshowing current county payments, projected revenue sharing in 2012 and a comparison to current payments, and expanded revenue sharing payments.
- View Headwaters Economics' slide presentation about their research into county payments and their approach to measuring ecosystem service values of stewardship and Legacy Roads and Trails projects.
The New Stewardship Agreement: held April 15, 2010
The Forest Service recently created a new stewardship agreement template and process to improve the agency's ability to work with partners and to leverage more resources to get results on the ground. Al Christophersen of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and Michele Wasienko-Holland of the Forest Service share information about how stewardship agreements work and important things to consider when putting one together.- Click here to hear and view a recast of the session. Presentations begin 10 minutes into the session.
Other Useful Links
- The Red Lodge Clearinghouse includes stories of successful natural resource collaborations.
- The Forest Service's Ecosystem Management Coordination provides links to a variety of collaboration and coordination resources.
- The U.S. Institute of Environmental Conflict Resolution site includes a searchable roster of consultants with skills in alternative dispute resolution skills.
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