Associate Level Material

American Rangelands and Forests

Part 1

Choose either a rangeland or a forest of the United States and describe current federal management strategies. Explain federal efforts to manage these lands sustainably by completing the chart below.

American Rangeland or Forest | Rangeland or Forest Location | Brief History of Rangeland or Forest | What are current land management problems? | What are the current federal land management strategies that address these problems? | What is one sustainable effort that should be implemented? | Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest | Southwest Oregon and Northern California | President Roosevelt established the Siskiyou Forest Reserve in 1905, then designating it the Siskiyou National Forest in 1907. The Rogue River National Forest became established in 1908 and until 1932 was known as the Crater National Forest. The forest has two individual geological regions which are the Cascade Range and the Siskiyou Mountains. | Build-up of fuels in fire-prone forests, (Forest Guild.org, 2014). | Implemented the National Fire Plan, theHealthy Forests Initiative (HFI), and the Healthy Forests Restoration Act(HFRA) to facilitate fuel reduction projects, (Forest Guild.org, 2014). | Mechanical thinning of small trees and prescribed fire. |

Part 2

Take your information from Part 1 and use it to create a Sustainability Plan.

Your sustainability plan should present what, when, and how something is to be sustained and maintained now and into the indefinite future. Your plan can be submitted in a narrative or table format. The Corporation for National and Community Service (n.d.) provides the following list of components that make up a sustainability plan that should be included in your paper or table:

1. Action items: Provide the items or activities that need to be addressed or that need to occur. Refer to the following example:

My plan for sustaining the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest in my community is to research the cause and effects of fuel build-up in forests, develop an education program about fuel build-up in forests, schedule a date and time for the presentation, invite community and other agencies to participate, and gain community involvement for new program and implemented restrictions.

2. Order of action items: Discuss how the action items in Step 1 will align or occur. One event or activity should occur before another; thus, order the items into steps similar to the following:

1) Research the cause and effects of fuel build-up in forests. 2) Develop an education program. 3) Schedule a date and time for the presentation and request that it be added to the following months agenda and document equipment needs and area where presentation will take place. 4) Invite the community and other agencies to participate. 5) Gain community involvement

3. Action steps: Explain how you are going to conduct the action items. How are you going to make each item or activity happen? Include individuals or groups who will help you conduct these activities. Use the following as a guide:

I am going to review and document my findings from as many relevant websites and journals as time allows. In order to schedule a presentation date and time, I will attend a weekly minute meeting with the USDA and other agencies involved. I will then schedule a date and time with the USDA for the presentation and request that it be added to the following month’s agenda and document equipment needs and area where presentation will take place. By creating flyers announcing the educational program presentation of implements and requirements with the USDA and distributing them to rural homes specific to the area or in proximity of the forest fires, to relevant agencies, and to stores with a high volume of patronage, will create substantial community involvement.

4. Timeline: Estimate when you are going to conduct the action items, such as “In months 1–3, I will complete the research.” If an item or activity does not have a specific conclusion time, indicate that it is ongoing.

Blank Sample Action Plan

Action Items (in order) | Action Steps | Timeline | Research and identify the cause and effects of forest fuel build-up. | Review relevant environmental websites.Document the sources of fuel build-up in fire-prone forest zones and the risks to the environment, ecosystems, and to human health.Document and interview environmental researchers and facilitators for further, more specific knowledge. | Month 1–2 | Develop an education program about the causes and effects of fuel build-up. | Develop a presentation on fuel build-up causes and effects, the risks involved, and the benefits of implementing the program. | Month 2–3 | Schedule a presentation date and time. | Attend a weekly minute meeting with the USDA and other agencies (BLM and USFS) to present the benefits of the program.Request that the USDA schedule a time for the presentation in week two of month five.Document needed equipment for presentation and layout of the area where presentation will be held. | Month 3-4 | Identify and invite community and other relevant agencies to participate. | Target rural homes specific to the area or in proximity of the forest fires, relevant agencies, and stores with a high volume of patronage. | Month 4–5 | Gain community involvement for the new program and implemented requirements. | Create and distribute flyers to homes and to stores with a high volume patronage announcing the educational presentation with USDA in week two of month five. | Month 6 - ongoing |

References
Corporation for National & Community Service. (n.d.). Sample sustainability plan. In Toolkit for program sustainability, capacity building, and volunteer recruitment/management (Section 4). Retrieved from http://www.nationalserviceresources.org/filemanager/download/online/sustainability_plan.pdf.
Forest Guild.org (2014). Retrieved from http://forestguild.org/publications/Evaluating_HFI_07.pdf?&session-id=f9b90a2bb6567f50f052a59cbe92c57e