From the Director
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Kathleen Atkinson,
Area Director
(Forest Service photo) |
MILWAUKEE
Leadership Note
As we know all too well in the Northeast and Midwest, invasive species, degraded watersheds, wildfires and forest and disease epidemics have been threatening the health of our forests. The conditions fueling these circumstances are not improving. In response, the Forest Service recently released a report titled, Toward Shared Stewardship Across Landscapes: An Outcome-Based Investmen
t
. It describes our intent to work more closely with our state partners to benefit all lands and communities. To help us in this effort, the March omnibus appropriations bill that authorized a fire funding fix, also expanded our authorities for active forest management, including our capacity for shared stewardship.
In the Northeast and Midwest, we have a history of working successfully with states to mitigate some of these risks through collaborative efforts such as invasive species initiatives, Good Neighbor Authority, Great Lakes Restoration Initiative and Landscape Scale Conservation. Last month, leadership from the Washington Office visited New Hampshire and Michigan to see firsthand how collaborative efforts have been improving the landscape and to gather additional thoughts and insights.
Interim Chief Vicki Christiansen traveled to the White Mountain National Forest
to participate in a roundtable discussion hosted by the Appalachian Mountain Club about the outdoor recreation economy in the White Mountains region. A goal of the meeting was to uncover new ways to create public-private partnerships to leverage industry, non-profit, and government investments in rural communities. Celebrating its centennial year, the "people's forest" illustrates the power of fostering long-standing relationships with local stakeholders and working together to support the rural economy. The visit included a tour of the Bartlett Experimental Forest, a stellar example of stewarding the whole. At this site, Northern Research Station, Northeastern Area and the White Mountain National Forest work together to deliver mission results. Lessons learned at Bartlett and the Forest are applied across land ownerships.
Deputy Chief Leslie Weldon traveled to the Huron-Manistee National Forests
prior to assuming her new role as Senior Executive for Work Environment to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the Wild & Scenic Rivers Act. While there, she spent time learning more about management of the five Wild and Scenic Rivers on the Forests. The Huron-Manistee National Forests have an important impact on the community and state, fostering an active outfitter and guide program with reported revenue of over $5 million in 2017 from fishing guides and concessionaires. A paddle down the Manistee River led to a meeting with the Chief of the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians and a tour of their mobile sturgeon rearing operation. Other examples of shared stewardship were highlighted on the Baldwin/White Cloud Ranger District where wildlife biologists shared successes with federally endangered species such as the Karner blue butterfly and Kirtland's warbler (KW). The KW work spans 50 years and led to the proposed de-listing of the species. Additionally, as part of the visit, we signed a historic Memorandum of Understanding with the Saginaw Chippewa Tribe of Michigan.
I'm proud of the excellent shared stewardship work currently taking place across the Northeast and Midwest. And, I'm going to challenge us to do more.
One way we are moving forward is by requesting meetings with state foresters throughout the Northeast and Midwest that will include representatives from all three branches of the Forest Service. The goal of which is to more closely coordinate our land management investments in alignment with state forest management plans. This will require shared decision-making to target treatments and determine appropriate actions.
We will be looking for innovation as we continue to make shared stewardship the way we do business in the Northeast and Midwest. If you have any ideas or input related to shared stewardship, please share them via [email protected]
--- I want to hear from you.
--- Kathleen Atkinson,
Regional Forester and Northeastern Area Director
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USFS Looks to the Future in Upcoming Forests to Faucets Analysis
Sally Claggett, USDA Forest Service, and Robert Morgan, Ecological Engineer
Land-use decisions related to water will become more important as the earth becomes more populated. In the United States, populations continue to grow, which means a larger urban footprint and more water needed for agricultural, industrial, and household uses in the country. As the USDA Forest Service and partners embark on an update to the 2011 Forests to Faucets analysis, the aim is to promote better understanding of the connection between natural landscapes, water quality, and water availability with an eye to the future.
Read the full article by Sally Claggett and Robert Morgan.
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Maryland Hosts Hemlock Woolly Adelgid Program Managers Meeting
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Biff Thompson (center, white shirt) Maryland Department of Agriculture, describes the characteristics that have made this Rocky Gap State Park site a successful field insectary for propagating HWA predators for collection and release at other sites in Maryland and neighboring States. (Courtesy photo by Julia Musselwhite, Maryland Department of Natural Resources)
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Approximately 80 people from 39 separate organizations gathered in western Maryland July 31 through August 2 to discuss current year accomplishments through the U.S. Forest Service Hemlock Woolly Adelgid (HWA) National Initiative. They met to network, exchange information, and formulate plans and recommendations for fiscal year 2019. The number of participants has been growing; this fourth annual meeting of HWA program managers, hosted by the Maryland Department of Agriculture and Department of Natural Resources and facilitated by the Northeastern Area State and Private Forestry, was the largest to date.
Read the entire HWA program managers meeting article.
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State Foresters Will Work Shoulder to Shoulder with Forest Service on New, Improved Wildfire Strategy
The Nation's 59 State and territorial foresters salute Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue for his leadership in developing
Toward Shared Stewardship Across Landscapes, a bold new strategy for meeting America's wildfire challenges head on.
Read the full press release.
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Great Lakes Silviculture Library Provides a Lot of Insights on Managing Your Woods
From My Minnesota Woods
This online library helps forest managers from Michigan, Minnesota, Ontario, and Wisconsin exchange forest management prescriptions by using actual on-the-ground activities. Woodland owners can get a lot of great insights on managing their own lands from browsing more than 70 case studies.
Explore the Great Lakes Silviculture Library
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American Goldfinch and the Thistle Connection
Jodie Provost, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
From My Minnesota Woods
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American goldfinch (Courtesy photo by My Minnesota Woods)
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The American Goldfinch (Spinus tristus) is a cheerful, yellow jewel of summer and common guest at bird feeders. Flying in a bouncy, up and down pattern, they make themselves known by gently and evenly calling po-ta-to-chip, po-ta-to-chip. Widely distributed, they breed across southern Canada and the northern and central United States. As a creature of open country with scattered trees and shrubs, they are typically found in old fields, young successional stands, roadsides, riparian floodplains, brushy openings, forest edges, savannas, and prairie groves.
Read the entire American Goldfinch article
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Fish and Wildlife Service: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service administers financial assistance awards on a competitive basis for projects and studies that advance the understanding of black duck ecology and is seeking proposals from interested parties. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will accept proposals addressing any aspect of black duck ecology and management, but proposals that address priority research needs will have a greater probability of funding. Closing Date October 19. (
Grants.gov F18AS00303)
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