Forest Futures Meg Mitchell Green Mountain

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Forest FuturesMeg MitchellGreen Mountain
Finger LakesNational ForestFirst a little
background
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My Background

• Education- Weston High School, CT
• B.S. Landscape Architecture from Colorado
• State University M.S. Forestry from University
  of Idaho
• Experience- Nature Conservancy, Colorado State
  Extension Service, Teaching and Research
  Assistant, Forest Service in Alaska, Oregon,
  Washington D.C., Vermont (-18 years).

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The U.S. Forest Service

• Just over 100 years old founded by Gifford
  Pinchot in 1905
• Research, State and Private Forestry,
  International Forestry and the National Forest
  System
• Over 190 Million Acres 8.5 of US
• 30,000 Employees of various skills/backgrounds
• 175 National Forests and Grasslands
• In 44 States, Puerto Rico Virgin Islands

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Why Here?

• Presentation Today
• Global and National Trends for Forests
• Local Opportunities and Issues
• Imagining the Future Here
• Future Skills
• Questions and Answers (hopefully)

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Forest Service National Priorities

• Presidents Budget for Fiscal Year 07-
• Expanding collaboration,
• Efficiency and Financial Management,
• Improving Forest Health and Open Space
• Chiefs Four Threats to National Forests-
  Catastrophic Fire Urban Interface Fuels,
  Unmanaged Recreation, Non-native Invasives, Loss
  of Open Space
• National Strategic Plan- Reduce risk from
  catastrophic fire, Reduce Impacts of Invasives,
  Provide Outdoor Recreation, Help meet energy
  resource needs, Improve Watershed Conditions

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Eastern Region Priorities

• Stretches from Main to Wisconsin down to West
  Virginia and has 20 Forests and Grasslands
• This geographic region contains about half the
  population of the US.
• Courageous Conservation
• Both the Green Mountain and Finger Lakes are
  located in this Region.
• Recently completed our Forest Plans

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The Trouble with American leaders is their
ignorance of the world and US interdependence-
their lack of world mindedness. Warren Bennis
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World Forests
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Coalition Buidling
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Making the Priceless Valuable
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Ecosystem Service Markets

• Service
• Carbon Sequestration
• Biodiversity Conservation
• Social Value
• Watershed Protection

• Revenue
• Carbon Credits
• Pharmaceuticals/Cosmetics Shade-grown products
• Eco-tourism, Certification Protection Grants
• User Fees

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Global Leaders in ES Markets

• Australia- Sustainable Cities, Carbon, Water
• Canada Europe- Consumption (feebates)
  Carbon
• South Africa, Kenya Uganda- Wildlife
  Ecotourism, Water
• Costa Rica Mexico- Nation-wide programs
• Brazil- Biodiversity
• United States- Water Carbon (CA RGGI)

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Other Trends

• Decentralized decision-making and more flexible
  regulatory frameworks with incentive-based
  approaches
• Social Justice concerns related to who owns and
  controls land rights and tenure
• A Restoration Economy in more industrialized
  nations. Coming back into previously developed
  areas.
• Globalization and Outsourcing driven by
  communication technology
• Inter-relationship between peoples health and
  ecosystem health.

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Specific Areas for the GMFL

• We look at everything we do as an opportunity to
  connect people with land and forests in both
  urban and rural areas.
• Continue to expand existing, coordinated acid
  deposition and air monitoring research
  partnerships. Link to State Implementation
  Plans.
• Get help and help others become carbon neutral.
  Build a LEED certified Supervisors Office
  Building and use this as a springboard to broader
  dialogue with associates, communities, ski areas
  and join emerging coalitions on green facilities,
  energy and sustainable consumption.
• Explore the potential for developing Ecosystem
  Service Markets and our role in developing
  alternative energies with the various branches of
  the Forest Service, State and Universities.

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• Continue building activity-based partnerships and
  expand place-based coalitions across boundaries.
  Improve performance measures with these groups.
• Continue to use our acquisition program
  strategically. Consider more opportunities to
  link up with Town Forests and other conservation
  organizations to help maintain working forests
  and meet open space and conservation goals across
  the landscape (e.g. Taconics).
• Reduce our maintenance backlog through better
  trail and road management partnerships with
  Towns, Counties and trail groups. Reach
  agreement on sustainable infrastructure level.
  Begin building into our trails, roads, culverts,
  bridges and other structures the ability to
  handle more frequent and more intense climate
  events.

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• Develop Integrated project areas which are
  more efficient, effective and collaborative.
  Help address acquisition areas, access and
  vegetation management in areas with public
  support. Make greater use of Stewardship
  Contracts with Towns and partners in these
  integrated project areas.
• Stick to our recreation niche, our strength in
  providing dispersed recreation across large areas
  of open space. Keep our landscape role in mind
  when planning projects and activities.
• We can provide both large areas of mature forest
  condition and Wilderness and do our part to
  maintain working landscapes. The two are more
  compatible than ever in the eyes of world
  conservation leaders.

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Never doubt that a committed group of citizens
can change the world. Indeed Its the only thing
that ever has.
- Margaret Mead