The Smokey Wire : National Forest News and Views
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It would be interesting if courts required documentation of mediation efforts prior to this kind of litigation…like I have said before, it would be interesting to know in advance, in public, transparently, what changes in design would be asked for by the plaintiffs. That would be one way of trying to get more justice in … Read more
The headline says it all” Idaho’s federal lands panel stresses collaboration, no longer demanding public lands takeover See also: Utah’s federal land take-over plan stalls
This Dec. 21 editorial in the Missoulian, “Make collaboration work for MT,” mentions a friend of the court brief filed last week in the Ninth Circuit by a group including The Wilderness Society, plus “two former Forest Service chiefs, three Montana counties, conservation organizations, the hunting and angling communities, timber industry officials, wildlife biologists, and … Read more
Areas selected based on collaboration and public input. That’s good, but its a shame than the USFS can’t “do the right thing” on its own. Press release from Gov. Jay Inslee: Governor Inslee Requests Forest Health Restoration on 720,000 Acres of Federal Forestland October 31, 2014 Olympia, WA – Gov. Jay Inslee today asked … Read more
Normally I pretty much tune out the hoopla around elections (truth is not usually found anywhere in the vicinity), but thought these two op-eds were of interest, in the sense that sage grouse has come out in gubernatorial politics. Probably would not happen with an endangered species in Texas, Florida, or New York, and maybe … Read more
The article, “Lawmakers vent to feds, assert forest fire inaction,” might have been titled “Lawmakers vent to feds, assert Congressional inaction.” “If you are going to be the landowner, the landlord, we look to you to for the responsibility in taking the lead,” said Rep. Roger Barrus, R-Centerville. I understand that view, but the main … Read more
I’m in the middle of a full course load this quarter and following that, in November, I plan to start a new blog for my new work, which will reduce my time available for this blog. I’ll continue to be around posting and commenting at a reduced level, and will continue to do the administrative … Read more
New paper by Jerry F. Franklin & K. Norman Johnson in Biodiversity and Conservation:”Lessons in policy implementation from experiences with the Northwest Forest Plan.” Abstract: Approximately 20 years ago, the preeminent goal for management of the federal forests of the Pacific Northwest shifted suddenly and permanently from sustained timber harvest to conservation of biodiversity and … Read more
This seems like a strange source for hearing about evolution in forest planning policy, but here is what the Region 6 regional forester is telling the world. It’s not something I remember serious discussion about when the 2012 Rule was developed, nor have I heard of it being done anywhere. Has anyone participated in something … Read more
Bob’s first question was:Are there any spiritual values associated with natural resource management? If not, should there be? Bob’s second question is: If so, what’s the fundamental legal/moral/ethical basis? My favorite summary of the issue of thinking about using natural resources ethically is a book by Rushworth Kidder called “How Good People Make Tough Choices.” … Read more