National Association of Conservation Districts Annual Meeting, National Association of Conservation Districts Annual Meeting, Orlando, FLOrlando, FL

February 2, 2010February 2, 2010

The Next Generation of The Next Generation of Conservation

Steven W. Koehn, MD State ForesterPresident, NASF

Investing in America’s Forests

• All-lands Policy approach

• State Forest Resource Assessments and Strategies

• Leadership via the Joint Forestry Team

NASF All Lands Policy Platform

• USDA Secretary Vilsack’s vision of an “All-lands approach” to managing the nation’s forests

• Forests are a strategic national resource

"The conservation of natural resources is the basis, and the only permanent basis, of national success. There are other conditions, but this one lies at the foundation."

Gifford Pinchot, 1911

Federal Agency Leadership & Collaboration

• Stand up the Forest Resource Coordinating Committee

• Continue supporting the Joint Forestry Team

• Ensure inter-agency collaboration with federal agencies

Priority Landscapes & Forest Resource Needs

• State Assessments and Strategies

• State Forestry Agencies Will Need Help

• Forest Inventory and Analysis

• National Wildland Fire Framework and Cohesive Strategy

Targeted Funding for Essential Infrastructure

• Increase Boots-On-The-Ground Capacity

• Next Generation of Federal Funding Support

• Meaningful Increases in Federal Funding for Forestry Programs in the 2008 Farm Bill

Market Contributions to Forest Health & Restoration

• No markets, no management; no cash flow, no conservation

• USDA Office of Ecosystem Services

• New Comprehensive Forest Markets Program (similar to the

Economic Action Program)

Climate Change, Renewable Energy, & Water

• Connect Forests to High-Profile National Priorities

• 2011 International Year of Forests

Legislation & Policies that Sustain Trees & Forests

• 2008 Farm Bill / 2009 FLAME Act

• 2010 Climate, Biomass and Renewable Energy, and Water Quality

• National Framework for Sustainable Forests

• Eliminating Process Gridlock & Barriers to Forest Management

• Revise U.S. tax policies

Proof of Concept Demonstrations on Priority Landscapes

• High-profile Projects from Across the Nation

Wildland Urban Interface Fire Assessment

(Hazard, Risk, Sensitivity)

• Focus on national issues and sustaining diverse public benefits.

• Prioritize using the best available information to assess conditions & identify opportunities.

• Outcomes are achieved through collaboration, partnerships and working at appropriate scales.

Redesign of State & Private Forestry

State Assessments/Strategies

National Themes

Sustainable Forestry

Tree ProductionCommunity Forestry

Conserve Working Conserve Working Forest LandscapesForest Landscapes

Information and Education

Conserve Working Forest Landscapes

Enhance Benefits Enhance Benefits From Trees and ForestsFrom Trees and Forests

Protect Forests Protect Forests from Harmfrom Harm

http://jointforestryteam.org/

Moving Forward

“We must be more than careful stewards of the land; we must be constant catalysts for positive change.”

- Gifford Pinchot

Steven W. Koehn,

MD State Forester

(410) 260-8501

skoehn@dnr.state.md.us

Jay Farrell,

NASF Executive Director

(202) 624-5976

jfarrell@stateforesters.org

http://www.stateforesters.org/

Thank You