Transcript Climate Change and the National Forests

Wayne National Forest and Scorecard Compliance
Peter B Williams, PhD
Ecosystem Mgmt Coord.
USDA-FS, Washington Office
Interim
Forest Supervisor, June-Sept. 2011

What:
◦ Five-Year Plan to Respond to the USDA Forest Service Climate
Change Scorecard

Where:
◦ Wayne National Forest, Ohio

When:
◦ August, 2011

Who:
◦ Forest Ecologist, Forest Supervisor, Forest Leadership Team

How:
◦ Let’s take a look…

Project Area for a Potential Central Appalachia Climate
Change Response Framework

Project Area Now Finalized

Part of broader network of ecological provinces and
response framework projects

Broad Vision:
◦ Use scorecard as framework to organize relevant parts of our
program of work and to link our Forest Management Plan to
appropriate national frameworks.

Example:
◦ Approach would allow WNF to be especially responsive in the
area of broader scale assessments—which are an expected part
of NFS monitoring program under the pending national planning
rule—and to do so in an especially efficient way.

Policy Background:
◦ National Forest Management Act (NFMA; 16 USC 1600), defines
the job of land management by the US Forest Service:
 … to be a leader in assuring that the Nation maintains a natural
resource conservation posture that will meet the requirements
of our people in perpetuity (16 USC 1600).
◦ Today, addressing climate change is part of the FS job:
 It is no longer possible to conserve the nation’s renewable
resources without addressing climate change.

Policy Background:
◦ NFMA requires FS prepare and update a Renewable Resource
Assessment every ten years.
◦ Social, economic, and ecological considerations are all key given:
 …the vital importance of America’s renewable resources of the
forest, range, and other associated lands to the Nation’s social
and economic well-being, and of the necessity for a long term
perspective in planning and undertaking related to national
renewable resource programs administered by the Forest
Service… (16 USC 1601(a)).

Policy Background:
◦ The Scorecard is supported by all FS Deputy Areas.
 Business Operations has led discussions regarding sustainable
operations and greenhouse gas reductions.
 Research & Development will deliver much of the science and
has been instrumental in working with NFS staff in developing
the guidance by providing background material and
recommendations.
 National Forest Systems applies the Scorecard on National
Forests and Grasslands
 State & Private Forestry is key to successful compliance
Scorecard is fundamentally collaborative

WNF Strategy for moving towards Vision:
◦ Begin work where we already have traction …
◦ …and then build capacity where and how it makes sense as we
learn more about the newly emerging National Planning Rule and
Climate Change Framework.

Built upon three principles:
◦ Smart to Start: Select initial scorecard elements that build on
existing efforts and focus on those priorities.
◦ Smart to Grow: Be responsive in the near-term by working
toward initial priorities while at the same time growing capacity
to adopt a more robust framework at the eco-regional scale
◦ Smart to Change: When appropriate, validate or adjust elements
and actions to recalibrate the WNF scorecard response with the
finalized Forest Planning Rule and revised Climate Change
Scorecard Guidance

What it looks like:

Expected operational benefits to WNF:
◦ More coherent and consistent NEPA planning for landscape-scale
vegetation projects,
◦ A more informed and engaged workforce that understands
sustainability as being about reducing operational costs, reducing
overhead, and making more dollars directly available for projects,
◦ Increased capacity and resources to implement the 2006 Forest
Plan and annual work plans,

Expected operational benefits to WNF:
◦ Relevant, meaningful connection between the Climate Change
Scorecard and IM&A elements of 2006 Forest Plan,
◦ Responsiveness & alignment with national efforts including:
 Invasive Species Strategy,
 2011/12 Planning Rule,
 Watershed Condition Framework,
 Priority Watersheds and Jobs Stabilization Initiative,
 Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Program