About Us
Who We Are - The Western Forestry Leadership Coalition represents a unique partnership between state and federal government forestry leaders. The Coalition is comprised of 34 members from across the federal and state agencies of the west which include:
- 23 State members, also known as the Council of Western State Foresters, which include State, Territorial, and Commonwealth Foresters of the west and American-affiliated islands of the Pacific.
- 11 USDA Forest Service members, which include:
- 7 western Regional Foresters,
- 3 western USFS Research Station Directors, and
- 1 USFS Forest Products Lab Director.
A five-member staff and seven western committees provide support for the Coalition. The Committees and Staff work closely to develop and deliver the objectives of the Coalition.
What We Do -The West's State and Federal forestry leaders work as a Coalition to address critical resources issues across ownerships and jurisdictions. We assist family forest owners, rural and state fire organizations, and community forestry groups; improving forest health, encouraging land conservation, and stimulating community economic recovery.
Mission - The mission of the WFLC is to promote science-based forest management that serves the values of society and ensures the health and sustainability of western forests.
Click here for an easy-to-print, concise, one-page summary on the WFLC's Mission, Goals and Priorities.
Values: The Coalition operates collectively under the following core values –
- Forested watersheds are vital sources of fresh water, recreation, wildlife, timber, and other products, values and uses, essential to current and future generations’ environmental, economic, cultural, and social well-being.
- Partnerships, collaboration, project integration and program coordination that stretch across land ownership boundaries are essential for successful and sustainable forest resource public policy and management.
- Research and science-based information is critical to establishing effective and relevant forest policies and practices.
Goals: The Coalition operates collectively with the following goals -
- Launch initiatives that position the west to respond to the public’s forest resource needs.
- Strengthen the western voice in questions of forest policy and land management.
- Facilitate the development, integration and implementation of western State and Private Forestry programs.
- Maximize federal and state financial investments by combining resources and partnerships across agency and ownership boundaries.
- Tackle emerging west wide issues by providing research, recommending policies, and coordinating efforts across land ownerships.
