Sustainable Forest Management of Community Forest Lands IT’S A MATTER OF BALANCE

Sustainable Forest Management of Sustainable Forest Management of Community Forest LandsCommunity Forest Lands

IT’S A MATTER OFIT’S A MATTER OF

BALANCE

Forests Are A Valued ResourceForests Are A Valued Resourceby People for many reasonsby People for many reasons

To some, these Forests are tied to economic To some, these Forests are tied to economic well beingwell being

Forests Are A Valued ResourceForests Are A Valued Resourceby People for many reasonsby People for many reasons

Others, Forests are an aesthetic appreciation….Others, Forests are an aesthetic appreciation….

Forests Are A Valued ResourceForests Are A Valued Resourceby People for many reasonsby People for many reasons

While to others the connection to Forests is While to others the connection to Forests is almost spiritualalmost spiritual

No one perspective is mutually No one perspective is mutually exclusive of the otherexclusive of the other

Forests are consideredForests are considered

Common GroundCommon Ground

Why such interest in Why such interest in Forests?Forests?

There’s a shared realization that There’s a shared realization that Healthy Forests are in everyone’s best Healthy Forests are in everyone’s best

interestinterest

But what is a Healthy Forest?But what is a Healthy Forest?This…….This…….

OR…………OR…………this…….this…….

What is the Best Way to What is the Best Way to Protect this Resource?Protect this Resource?

There’s Irony in the fact that the Century old There’s Irony in the fact that the Century old debate of how to best manage our Forests closed debate of how to best manage our Forests closed

with massive hammer blows of natural events and with massive hammer blows of natural events and catastrophic fires that occurred irrespective of our catastrophic fires that occurred irrespective of our

decisions and wholly outside of our control.decisions and wholly outside of our control.

Boundary Water Canoe and Boundary Water Canoe and Wilderness Area 1999Wilderness Area 1999

And recent Western U.S. firesAnd recent Western U.S. fires

Forests are Complex living Forests are Complex living systems which are subject to systems which are subject to

periodic and sometimes violent periodic and sometimes violent processes of, processes of,

Destruction……..Destruction……..

………….rebirth.rebirth

…………and changeand change

It is by understanding and working It is by understanding and working within this broad framework of time within this broad framework of time

and transformation that sound and transformation that sound decisions can be made that will help decisions can be made that will help create a healthy environment for the create a healthy environment for the future and strike a balance between future and strike a balance between

the often complex relationship the often complex relationship between people and Forestsbetween people and Forests

Can a community balance the health Can a community balance the health of the environment, need for strong of the environment, need for strong

economic health, societal economic health, societal perspectives and change ?perspectives and change ?

YES !YES !

BUT HOW???????BUT HOW???????

LONG TERM MANAGEMENTLONG TERM MANAGEMENTPLANNINGPLANNING

What can be gained from long term What can be gained from long term forest management and planning?forest management and planning?

A healthy Forest provides for clean air, water and A healthy Forest provides for clean air, water and wildlife habitat wildlife habitat

A healthy and diverse Forest can provide for both A healthy and diverse Forest can provide for both commercial and non-commercial products and values commercial and non-commercial products and values

Long term management of forest resources can Long term management of forest resources can provide financial opportunity directly or indirectlyprovide financial opportunity directly or indirectly

A healthy and diverse Forest can provide for the A healthy and diverse Forest can provide for the economic stability of a community through use of its economic stability of a community through use of its resources, providing primary and secondary resources, providing primary and secondary economic opportunities and jobs.economic opportunities and jobs.

But……….most importantly……But……….most importantly……

Good planning and Good planning and management can protect and management can protect and

keep a forest healthy and create keep a forest healthy and create a lasting understanding of why a lasting understanding of why the forest is important to the the forest is important to the

communitycommunity

Important Things to Consider when Important Things to Consider when planningplanning

Identify why the Forest is important to the CommunityIdentify why the Forest is important to the Community Determine what resource are to be protectedDetermine what resource are to be protected What does the Community use the Forest resources for What does the Community use the Forest resources for Weigh Perspectives on Forest valuesWeigh Perspectives on Forest values What type of management is necessary to protect forest values What type of management is necessary to protect forest values

Custodial, or Asset Management or both Custodial, or Asset Management or both Balance the Goals and Objectives desired by the CommunityBalance the Goals and Objectives desired by the Community Where will money come from for management: revenue from Where will money come from for management: revenue from

operations or other sources?operations or other sources? What is the scope and scale that the plan is to consider?What is the scope and scale that the plan is to consider?

Why is understanding scope and Why is understanding scope and scale so important?scale so important?

Scale is important when discussing Scale is important when discussing perspectivesperspectives

Perspectives change when looking from different vantage Perspectives change when looking from different vantage points.points.

There are broad perspectives……..There are broad perspectives……..

…………and narrow perspectivesand narrow perspectives Knowing what scale a perspective is viewed from, Knowing what scale a perspective is viewed from,

can be extremely important to understand the can be extremely important to understand the perspective and communicate the importance of the perspective and communicate the importance of the concern……….concern……….

Remember it’s all aboutRemember it’s all about

BALANCE