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- Wading in Deep –

Lessons Learned from Partnering with the Forest Service

Sheila JacobsonFisheries Biologist

USDA Forest Service Tongass National Forest

Community-Based Watershed Management ForumJuneau, Mar 9. 2012

• Provide insight on the steps and some of the tools used to guide you through various stages of a Partnership using Harris River Restoration partnership as an example

• Acknowledge obstacles and Lessons Learned

• Identify a few “go-to” resources for more information

Objectives


1. Assess Capacity and Needs2.Build Relationships3.Develop Your Project Idea4. Find Funds 5. Implement the Project6. Monitor Progress 7.Evaluate Success and Acknowledge On-

going Challenges8.Document Lessons Learned9. Share successes


Steps to an Effective Partnership

• Flesh out project details early– Objectives/Expectations– Surveys– Designs/Methods– Cost Estimates

• Know the order in which you desire to implement the suite of projects

• Determine timeframes for • completion


Develop your Project Idea

– Share writing and application submission tasks for mutual benefit

– Share resources to implement the project and include in your application

Find FundsGrant Applications: Working Together


– Know what the grant is targeting– Understand partner/agency interests and values– Learn from past records what was successful– Know exactly how the funds will be used and

who will be responsible for administering – Know the full cost of the project– Know the timeline and performance period

When Applying for Grants….


When interests align you may choose to work together in many ways…

Stewardship Authority

• Stewardship contracting projects with private or public entities by contract or agreement

• Perform services to achieve land management goals for the NF’s or public lands that meet local and rural community needs.


Wyden Authority• Allows expenditure of Forest Service funds off national

forest system lands• Projects must benefit the fish, wildlife, and other

resources on National Forest lands within an affected watershed

• May be used to improve collaborative efforts• Can partner with any entity or individual


• Stick to the Agreement or Modify as Needed– Know your responsibilities– Know deliverables and due dates


Implement and Monitor

• Increasing need to adapt to economic changes and pressures

• Inefficient business processes and complex database systems encumber local level efforts

• Continued engagement and support of new and long term partners requires time and effort

• Complications and constraints impact our ability to successfully establish and leverage relationships and results

• Laws and ethical guidance can be complicated and limiting

On-Going Challenges


• Don’t fight the Federal system, work within it• Know project details early • Include G&A and Contracting in upfront planning,

timeline setting, and “fact finding” • Communicate!• Find the most knowledgeable resources and use them• Incorporate reasonable timeframes • Build and sustain capacity• Be honest with your partners! • Realize larger watershed scale projects are complex


Lessons Learned

• Acknowledge partners and highlight their hard work!

• Share stories in newsletters, news and magazine articles

Celebrate Successes


• Partnership Guide– Designed for Forest Service employees and partners – Answers common questions

about the agency's policies and procedures– Helps anticipate potential hurdles– Provides overview of commonly used agreements and a flowchart to guide users to the appropriate agreementhttp://www.partnershipresourcecenter.org/

• Partnership Resource Center website: – Contains a wealth of online resources for building vibrant

partnerships and effective collaboration on and off the National Forest.

Resources


http://www.partnershipresourcecenter.org/


Questions?