Thanks to Peter Williams for this update and roundup of interesting links:
“We are updating our electronic resources with completely new blog technology and new material on the planning rule website: http://fs.usda.gov/planningrule
The “History of Forest Planning” webpage has been updated to include the 1990 Critique of Forest Planning, Volumes 1 — 11
The new blog, when stood up, will demonstrate a variety of new features that may have value during subsequent planning efforts throughout the agency; we are coordinating closely with CIO regarding security related to those features; exact features that get stood up will depend on the outcome of that coordination.
Several other agency, Departmental, or administration initiatives are worth knowing about too:
State Assessment and Resource Strategies (Part of the State and Private Forestry Redesign effort)
LINK: http://www.fs.fed.us/spf/redesign/resourcecenter.shtml
Addressing “all lands” and a broad set of relevant issues identified by each State Forester; some States are pushing hard for these assessments to “guide” or play a significant role in Forest Plan revisions & amendments; Helps set context state-by-state
Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Program/Projects
LINK: http://www.fs.fed.us/restoration/CFLR/index.shtml
Proposals just submitted by Forests and Grasslands to each relevant RO for forwarding to WO; multiparty monitoring and collaboration are highlighted
State Climate Adaptation Plans
LINK: http://www.pewclimate.org/what_s_being_done/in_the_states/adaptation_map.cfm
May become part of Congressional climate change legislation; could set context for Forest Planning
Cohesive WildFire Management Strategy
LINK: Homepage — http://www.forestsandrangelands.gov/leadership/index.shtml
Strategy — http://www.forestsandrangelands.gov/leadership/strategy/index.shtml
Public meetings conclude at the end of May; a draft cohesive fire strategy is due in November and will be updated every 5 years after that.
America’s Great Outdoors Initiative
LINK: Presidential Memo http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/presidential-memorandum-americas-great-outdoors
Initiative Homepage: http://www.doi.gov/americasgreatoutdoors/
On April 16, 2010, President Obama signed a Presidential Memorandum establishing the America’s Great Outdoors Initiative to be led by the Secretaries of the Interior and Agriculture, the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Chair of the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ); this initiative carries forward elements of the ‘all lands’ vision of Secretary Vilsack. ”
And, what will happen to the existing blog responses?!? I rather doubt that the Forest Service wants to keep or transfer them over to the new blog. There’s a lot of negative stuff and it appears that the FS would like to bury it all and start over. Seems that “moving the goalposts” is still an effective way of “monkeywrenching”.
Regarding the Cohesive Wildfire Management Strategy; They want to extend their ability to let fires burn to ALL kinds of ignitions, instead of just “natural” ignitions. It seems that strategy excludes active forest management in favor of Let-Burn fires. It also seems like they’d like to demote the importance of prescribed fires, as well. That way, when they make the inevitable repeated mistakes in fire “management”, they can’t get sued. Environmentalists like to use the “fox guarding the henhouse” analogy to forest management. It seems to me that the fire folks are installing a “Fires Forever” approach to fattening their wallets and directing the path of the Forest Service, without any of the science that foresters are required to bring to the table. Hell, they don’t even follow NEPA, take public input or have oversight. “Blank checks” should ALWAYS have oversight!
Foto-
Recently attended a session on WFDSS.. seems like they are perhaps obsessively interested in being careful about what choices they make and and how much money they spend… are we talking about the same thing?
No, Sharon, that is different from what I am talking about. I simply don’t trust the “illuminati” of fire management, who seem to want to extend fire seasons and premium pay for their brethren. The WFLC seems to be a rogue committee, not controlled or monitored by anyone. They have also included eco-groups in their meetings, despite the rules against “lobbyists”. I’m not saying I am completely against letting some carefully studied and properly managed lands to burn under controlled conditions. Are we expected to wait until they’ve polished their approach and worked out all the bugs of their “experiment”?? Recent history is littered with destroyed landscapes due to their flawed Let-Burn program.
They know all too well that their program is in trouble, yet they seek to have the power to let any “unplanned ignition” burn to accomplish untold “resource benefits”. This is in direct opposition to scientific forest planning and puts the public at great risk. Most weatern states are opposed to this practice, and soon, the Forest Service may find themselves not getting the mutuial aid they’ve enjoyed in the past.