 June 03, 2003
A panel of speakers from Priest Lake, Idaho, will provide a short presentation of their stewardship project and how it worked for them followed by questions and answers from participants. The panel includes both Forest Service and community representatives. According to a news release, the Stewardship Contracting program was introduced as a pilot project several years ago in an effort to reduce a growing forest health problem, increase employment opportunities, and involve states, communities, and tribes. Key features of the program include allowing the exchange of goods for services; facilitating land restoration and enhancement efforts by using receipts for important work on the ground; awarding contracts based on "best value;" and offering opportunities for local communities to respond to contract proposals. The program requires collaboration with state, local, and tribal governments. It allows both agreements and contracts with private and other public entities and it provides opportunity to partner with conservation and industry groups, tribes, and communities. The success of those pilot
projects led to extension of the authority to the rest of the
National Forest System through the FY2003 Appropriations Act.
Said Puchlerz, "I think there are some very real opportunities
for us to apply stewardship contracting to the Tongass, I want
to see how this might work on the Tongass National Forest. I'm
looking forward to hearing how has it worked in Idaho."
Source of News Release:
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