Bill Timko, Deputy Director, Forest Management Page 2

File Code: / 1930/2400 / Date: / May 14, 2010
Route To: / (2500), (2600), (3400), (5100)
Subject: / Region 6 Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Program Proposals
To: / Bill Timko, Deputy Director, Forest Management

I am proud to submit five proposals for the Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Program (CFLRP) that are based in science, strong partnerships and holistic approaches to restoration. They align well with our regional landscape conservation plan, Oregon’s Federal Forest Advisory Committee, as well as Oregon and Washington’s Statewide Assessment and Resource Strategies. These projects aspire to unprecedented restoration in their identified landscapes.

Our Regional landscape conservation plan (Responding to Climate Change: Integrated Plan for Landscape Conservation for the Pacific Northwest), was drafted in February 2010, and builds on our 2002 Aquatic Restoration Strategy. Our CFLRP proposals address the bedrock principle of this plan by making landscapes more resilient and sustainable in the face of change. It is also notable that these proposals are in accord with regional initiatives of several of our key nongovernmental partners, including Sustainable Northwest, which is leading the Dry Forest Investment Zone (DFZ) project. This project seeks to increase the health of forest landscapes and the vitality of rural communities, businesses and entrepreneurs in Eastern Oregon. Our work may become the significant component of the DFZ project.

Our Lakeview proposal will contribute markedly to the objectives of the Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement, which seeks a comprehensive solution for the basin, including the removal of four dams. In addition, the project complements a proposal submitted by Region 5, the Upper South Fork of the Salmon River CFLR Project. Collectively these efforts will dramatically improve ecological health and community wellbeing in the basin.

It was difficult for me to choose among the strong set of proposals we received. We conducted a pre-proposal internal and peer review by members of the Pacific Northwest Fire Science Consortium, which resulted in identification of five proposals for full development. The final complete proposals were ranked in priority order based on restoration impact, job creation, and the maturity and potential of the community-based collaborative, while recognizing the strong merits of each:

  1. Lakeview Federal Stewardship Unit submitted by the Fremont-Winema National Forest and the Lakeview Stewardship Group;
  1. Colville National Forest with their partners in the Northeast Washington Forestry Coalition;
  1. Malheur National Forest in collaboration with the Blue Mountains Forest Partners (Grant County) and the Harney County Restoration Group.
  1. Tapash Sustainable Forest Collaborative developed with the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest.
  1. Deschutes National Forest Skyline Landscape proposal in cooperation with The Nature Conservancy and others.

The enclosed proposals (ftp://ftp2.fs.fed.us/incoming/r6/ro/CFLRP/) will make a measurable difference on the landscape and are the result of working partnerships focused on restoring healthy forests and supporting sustainable communities. They offer our complete commitment to an all lands approach to restoration through collaboration.

/s/ Mary Wagner
MARY WAGNER
Regional Forester

Enclosures

cc: John P Allen

Robert Alvarado

William Aney

Tracy B Beck

Doug Gochnour

Gary R Harris

Becki L Heath

Richard E Newton

Margaret Petersen

Ron Saranich

Thomas Sensenig

Laura Jo West