Threats to Western Private Forests
In 2009, the Threats to Western Private Forests strategic initiative engaged diverse stakeholders - family and large-scale forest landowners, county commissioners, local and regional planning agencies, state forestry and wildlife agencies, federal land managers, tribes, universities, conservation districts, and nonprofit organizations - to explore threats to the health and sustainability of private forests in the western U.S. By having open conversations about the long-term prospects of western forests, we have increased our understanding of the many challenges and opportunities facing private working forests and developed a set of recommendations responsive to current conditions.
The goal of this initiative is to facilitate the creation of a new policy framework and new business model that, together, address the needs of private forest landowners; local, state and federal agencies; conservation organizations; and other stakeholders in the western U.S. and strive toward the following outcomes:
- Mitigate and adapt to climate change by facilitating sustainable forest management that increases carbon sequestration and storage (mitigation) and minimizes risks and impacts to forest health from fire, insect outbreaks, and other problems associated with climate change (adaptation).
- Support a diversity of markets for forest products and ecosystem services that will help create an economic environment more amenable to owning and managing forest land for multiple benefits and products.
- Contribute to the creation of a social environment within which forests and sustainable forest management are understood and valued for their economic, social, and environmental benefits.
The recommendations in the report focus on achieving these outcomes by rewarding landowners for their stewardship of ecosystem services, promoting diverse markets (existing and new), and facilitating action through cross-ownership management and partnerships. The recommendations are interdependent and therefore will be most effective when acted upon concurrently and iteratively by multiple partners. We will know we have achieved success when:
- Ecosystem services are appropriately valued and can play a larger role in the management decisions of private forest landowners, broadening the portfolio of products and benefits for which they can manage their land and realize profit.
- Private forest landowners can realize additional economic value and enhance forest health and resilience through a diversity of markets that include the utilization of woody biomass, and therefore will be more likely to hold onto their land in the face of development and other pressures to sell.
- The overall capacity to manage working forests is increased through effective cross-ownership planning and partnerships. Enhanced coordination of landowners can leverage resources, curtail disinvestment in working private forests, improve the quality of life in forest-dependent communities, and help retain the green infrastructure these lands provide.
Follow the links below to view and download the Executive Summary, Report, and information from each of the regional workshops and drafting committee meetings that informed the final product.
For more information on an individual workshop or the larger project, contact Dana Coelho, WFLC Program Manager, at dcoelho@fs.fed.us or 303-445-4364.
Threats to Western Private Forests - Final Report (870K) - April 16, 2010provides a framework for conserving and enhancing the benefits from private working forests in the Western U.S.
Threats to Western Private Forests - Executive Summary (1179K) - April 15, 2010excerpted from the full report above
Drafting Committee Meeting Notes (334K) - November 20, 2009Protocols, agendas, participants and summaries for all drafting committee meetings
Threats to Western Private Forests - Handout () - September 14, 2009This glossy, color, one-page hand-out describes the project, process and desired outcomes. It is a great way to communicate to others what the project is all about. Please download and use!
Updates and Workshop Summaries (555K) - August 1, 2009Synthesis of workshop comments, agendas, participant lists and meeting summaries for all workshops
