Highlights below from our members and partners. These updates were featured in CWSF's September newsletter. 

Western Governors’ Association National Forest and Rangeland Management Initiative

Kelsey Delaney and CWSF member and Montana State Forester, Bob Harrington, attended the first workshop for the Western Governors’ Association (WGA) Chairman’s Initiative of Montana Governor Steve Bullock, the National Forest and Rangeland Management Initiative. The workshop was held in Missoula, MT and was attended by forestry, rangeland, and natural resources representatives from local, state and federal stakeholder entities.

The workshop boasted a variety of roundtable panels on issues such as the Montana experience, 2014 Farm Bill tools, and wildfire funding reform. On day two, attendees heard several case studies and learned from representatives engaged in forest restoration and management activities in the west. Kelsey had the opportunity to moderate Roundtable III: Fire Funding Reform. In her brief remarks, she introduced the CWSF and the Western Forestry Leadership Coalition and shared why fire funding reform is a top priority for the CWSF and the National Association of State Foresters. View archived webcasts of the workshop.

The next workshop will be hosted by Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter Oct. 20-21 in Boise, Idaho.

2016 State & Private Forestry Report  

The National Association of State Foresters (NASF) has released the 2016 State and Private Forestry Report which includes success stories and an overview of emerging issues and trends that were recently identified by the state forestry agencies.

The report includes an analysis of a recent review of the state forestry agency strategies and assessments, collectively known as the Forest Action Plans. The Forest Action Plans, created more than five years ago, are the strategic roadmap for America’s trees and forests. The 2016 State and Private Forestry report illustrates how the Forest Action Plans have helped direct limited resources to priority areas where they are needed most.

IUCN World Conservation Congress

The 2016 International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) World Conservation Congress was hosted for the first time in the United States, September 1-10 in Hawaii. During the event, the Obama Administration announced new policies to promote conservation and build resilience to climate change, with a focus on Pacific Islands. Read the official fact sheet from the White House and view daily highlights from the IUCN World Conservation Congress.  

Western State Forestry Job Openings

Click here to view job openings in our Western state forestry agencies.