The Way Forward – A Six-Point Plan
Looking across all 23 state and Pacific Island Forest Action Plans, a Six-Point Plan for successful implementation emerges and defines the way forward. The Forest Action Plans build on decades of successful partnerships among state forestry agencies, the U.S. Forest Service, and others, and contribute to achieving common goals. Successful implementation of the Six-Point Plan across landscapes by all responsible agencies, landowners, and stakeholders holds promise for healthy and sustainable western forests.
- 1.
Strengthen partnerships and collaborative approaches - 2.
Build adequate and flexible capacity and funding - 3.
Capitalize on "co-benefits" - 4.
Actively manage all forestlands - 5.
Support research to inform science- based decision making - 6.
Gain support through effective engagement
- Effective collaboration allows partners to make the most of available funding, capacity, resources, and information.
- Shared priority strategies offer compelling arguments to support capacity and funding to accomplish work, as well as to undertake new initiatives.
- Focus on opportunities to meet multiple objectives with one management action, e.g., fuel reduction projects that maintain watershed benefit.
- It is only through a landscape-scale approach that major threats to western forests can be mitigated and managed, and benefits can be provided to citizens and communities.
- Research and the best available science must be a part of an ongoing, collaborative effort to define and act upon the forestry issues of the West.
- Successful strategy implementation will only occur if citizens — collectively and individually — understand, accept, and support the principles, strategies, and actions envisioned in the Forest Action Plans.
