Wilderness and Wild and Scenic Rivers Program Fiscal Years in Review

Transcription

1 Wilderness and Wild and Scenic Rivers Program Fiscal Years in Review

2 Welcome From the Director In my first year as Director of the Wilderness and Wild and Scenic Rivers Program, I have been to every region, several more than once, to gain a clearer understanding of the issues and challenges you face and what I can do from Washington, DC, to help you address those challenges. I have learned a great deal in my travels. In this unprecedented time in the history of the Forest Service, severe fire challenges and constrained budgets make managing our Wilderness and Wild and Scenic Rivers an uphill struggle. I ve learned that it s more important than ever to make tough choices about priorities, work together to capitalize on opportunities to advance the program, and stay informed about each other s efforts. I ve also learned that it s important to celebrate our accomplishments, while remaining realistic about our challenges. That s what this report is all about. This document highlights accomplishments of the Wilderness and Wild and Scenic Rivers Staff and acknowledges challenges that remain in four key areas: (1) improving integration and coordination with other program areas and agencies, (2) measuring performance and increasing our accountability, (3) developing a skilled workforce, and (4) extending and enhancing our capacity. These themes define where my staff and I are placing time and energy to make a difference in our wilderness and wild and scenic rivers management and to clear the way to make your jobs more successful and rewarding. I will use this report to brief internal and external audiences in a concerted effort to improve integration, involvement, and partnerships to accomplish our priority work assignments. I encourage you to use it to inform your audiences and expand awareness and support of our program. I have been informed and enlightened and inspired by the stewardship I ve seen from you, in the fjords of Alaska; the river canyons of Washington, California, and Idaho; the mountain forests of New Mexico, Colorado, and Montana; and the waters of Minnesota and South Carolina. Your resilience in spite of ever-limited resources and challenging organizational changes is testament to the passion you have for these special places. And that passion is contagious! I wake up every day keenly aware of the trust we have all taken on to thoughtfully and vigorously protect land and water and grateful for the host of river and wilderness pros like you who are doing just that. Thank you for your support and for all that you do to preserve wilderness and wild and scenic rivers! Chris Brown Forest Service, Washington Office (202) cnbrown@fs.fed.us 2 Wilderness and Wild and Scenic Rivers Program

3 Current Units of the Wilderness and Wild and Scenic Rivers Systems The Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, manages significant portions of both the National Wilderness Preservation System (NWPS) and the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System (NWSRS). The U.S. Department of the Interior s Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service manage the other units of these important congressional designations. At the end of fiscal year (FY) 2007, the Forest Service managed 418 wildernesses, totaling 35.3 million acres. This acreage represents 18.3 percent of all National Forest System (NFS) lands and 32.9 percent of all lands in the NWPS. federally designated rivers that flow on NFS lands. These rivers total 4,389 miles, almost evenly split between wild (1,453 miles), scenic (1,180 miles), and recreational (1,756 miles) classifications. This total comprises 61.3 percent of the number of rivers in the NWSRS and 38.4 percent of the river miles. The 109th Congress added a single river to the NWSRS. The Black Butte Wild and Scenic River in California was added by the Northern California Coastal Wild Heritage Wilderness Act on October 17, This new addition totals 21 miles and contains both wild and scenic segments. FY 2006 saw a single Forest Service addition to the NWPS with establishment of the 10,000-acre El Toro Wilderness on the Caribbean National Forest in Puerto Rico. This addition was significant, in part, because it adds such diversity to the system: El Toro is the first tropical wilderness managed by the Forest Service. It hosts an incredible diversity of plants and wildlife, including 50 varieties of orchids and the endangered Puerto Rican Parrot. Prior to the adjournment of the 109th Congress, FY 2007 saw several bills passed designating new wildernesses in California, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Nevada, as well as adding additional acreage to existing areas. See figure 1 for wildernesses designated in FY07. At the end of FY 2007, the Forest Service was responsible for managing 101 wild and scenic rivers designated by Congress, and 3 State-administered, Figure 1. Wildernesses designated in FY 2007 Northern California Coastal Wild Heritage Wilderness Act (10/17/2006) Wilderness Name Acreage Mount Lassic Wilderness 7,279 Sanhedrin Wilderness 10,571 Yuki Wilderness 36,522 New England Wilderness Act of 2006 (12/1/2006) Wilderness Name Acreage Glastenbury Wilderness 22,425 Joseph Battell Wilderness 12,333 Wild River Wilderness 23,700 White Pine County Conservation, Recreation, and Development Act of 2006 (12/20/2006) Wilderness Name Acreage Bald Mountain Wilderness 22,366 High Schells Wilderness 121,497 Red Mountain Wilderness 20,490 Shellback Wilderness 36,143 White Pine Range Wilderness 40,013 Fiscal Years in Review 3

4 Improve Integration and Coordination Wilderness and wild and scenic rivers management involves the intersection of many different program areas within the Forest Service, such as water and air resources; fish, wildlife, and plants; engineering; recreation; fire; and planning. Similarly, other Federal agencies have the same statutory responsibilities as the Forest Service, often managing adjacent sections of wildernesses and wild and scenic rivers. State and local agencies also have an important role to play, including the management of fish and wildlife, search and rescue actions, law enforcement activities, and protecting river values through these authorities. The successful stewardship of these special places depends upon close coordination and integration of various activities with other Forest Service staffs and related Federal and State agencies. FY Accomplishments The Arthur Carhart National WIlderness Training Center (Carhart Center) conducted focused activities to target skill deficiencies and general wilderness awareness, including: Assessed agency and nonagency traditional skills base and needs in partnership with the Missoula Technology and Development Center. The existing skill base in Live Stock, Watercraft, Trails, Bridges, Water Impoundments, Sawing and Rigging is severely limited and, as skilled employees leave, the traditional skill deficit will continue to increase. Regional Recreation, Heritage, and Wilderness directors agreed that action must be taken to address this skill deficit. Conducted 14 forest or regional wilderness awareness workshops. More than 550 people, including forest staff from various resource disciplines and their key partners, attended the workshops. The workshops focused on the integration required to achieve the 10-Year Wilderness Stewardship Challenge and other wilderness stewardship objectives. In cooperation with the Interagency Wild and Scenic Rivers Coordinating Council (Council) (see sidebar) Wild and Scenic River program staff: Developed, printed, and distributed a Guide to Riverfront Property Owners (see figure 2) that describes the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act and NWSRS; explains how Section 7 of the act applies in planning and implementing projects in wild and scenic rivers; and shares techniques to protect economic, natural, and cultural values on private lands. Updated the NWSRS map and began development of an interactive map display. Expanded the Web site to include all public laws amending the act and is in the process of adding examples of Figure 2. Guide for Riverfront Property Owners water resources project reviews to better serve field staff and the public. Developed a chapter, at the request of the Council of Environmental Quality, to explain the requirements of the wild and scenic rivers program for inclusion in a handbook for National Environmental Policy Act practitioners. Wilderness staff worked with various Forest Service staffs and governmental entities to: Complete a draft version of the Technical Guide for Monitoring Wilderness Character and conducted pilot tests in all nine regions, relying on 4 Wilderness and Wild and Scenic Rivers Program

5 existing data from seven different NFS directorates, including Engineering, Rangeland Management, and Recreation and Heritage Resources. The results formed the basis for a proposal to implement consistent monitoring protocols to track how well we are preserving wilderness character across the NWPS. Coordinate the development of a memorandum of understanding template for search and rescue operations in wilderness, consistent with the needs of the Western States Sheriffs Association. Propose revisions to a Senate amendment to the immigration and border protection bill concerning cost recovery for training, equipment, recurring maintenance, and restoration of natural and cultural resources to ensure that wilderness values are protected to the maximum extent possible. Revise the Policies and Guidelines for Management of Fish and Wildlife in Wilderness in collaboration with the Watershed, Fish, Wildlife, Air, and Rare Plants Staff; the Bureau of Land Management; and the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies. Interagency Wild and Scenic Rivers Coordinating Council The approach of the 40th anniversary of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act in 2008 provides an opportune time to recognize the contribution of the Council to river managers and the public. Until its inception in 1995, the wild and scenic rivers program was managed with limited coordination between the four Federal river-administering agencies (Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Forest Service). There was no forum for identifying and clarifying matters of national and interagency consistency relative to implementation of the act. For example, before the Council s technical paper on evaluating water resources projects under Section 7 of the act was completed in 1997 (29 years after passage of the act), there was no standard interpretation or evaluation processes for this key provision. Each of the Council s additional technical papers and other products have made a similar contribution to consistency in interpretation and implementation of the act, and provided direct (easily accessible) support to river managers in their day-to-day administration of wild and scenic rivers. The Council is represented by one national and two field staff from each of the four wild and scenic rivers administering agencies. While not a decisionmaking body, its products provide practical information for river managers and the public, and serve as the basis for further individual agency actions. Recently, the Forest Service incorporated significant portions of the Council s The Wild and Scenic River Study Process technical paper into its directives system. This is an excellent example of how the Council has increased interagency consistency in both process and outcome. The Council has remained responsive to the needs of river managers through its structure two-thirds field representation and by seeking continual feedback during its 10-plus years of operation. Its many products have been developed in response to the complex provisions of the act and the needs expressed by river managers and the public. See Fiscal Years in Review 5

6 Challenges That Remain The vital role Forest Service programs have in wilderness stewardship has not been fully realized by many. Wilderness is sometimes viewed as a constraint to core missions, as opposed to an integral component of overall program responsibilities. This lack of awareness is a barrier to achieving integrated management of wilderness. Stewardship of wild and scenic rivers is challenged by a general lack of understanding of congressional intent and key provisions of the act. Similar to wilderness, it is often viewed as a recreation program rather than as the primary Federal conservation tool to protect rivers free-flow, water quality, and outstanding natural, cultural, and recreational values. Nor is the act s encouragement of effective basinwide management through increased public understanding of, and appreciation for, river values and river conservation well integrated into broader agency strategic goals and priorities. Interagency Wilderness Policy Council The Interagency Wilderness Policy Council (Council) was established to improve interagency coordination in administering the Wilderness Act, thereby enhancing protection and management of the Nation s wilderness resource to benefit current and future generations. The Council consists of policy-level representatives of the four Federal wilderness management agencies and research representatives from the Forest Service and the U.S. Department of the Interior. The goals of the Council are to: (1) identify and clarify issues of national significance concerning preservation and stewardship of the NWPS and wilderness study areas in order to recommend and advocate coordinated agency actions; (2) provide a national interagency forum to coordinate and improve consistency in the interpretation and implementation of the Wilderness Act to the fullest extent practicable; (3) increase internal and external awareness, understanding, and support for the NWPS; and (4) review and evaluate the effectiveness of agency efforts to improve preservation, stewardship, and support for the NWPS. Members of the Council on a field trip into the Flat Tops Wilderness on the White River National Forest in Colorado in September Wilderness and Wild and Scenic Rivers Program

7 Measure Performance and Increase Accountability Through the Wilderness Act of 1964 and the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act of 1968, the public placed great trust in the Federal land management agencies to be wise stewards of untrammeled wilderness and freeflowing rivers. In recognition of this trust, and the need for transparency and accountability, the Wilderness and Wild and Scenic Rivers Program is responsible for defining the components and outcomes of successful stewardship programs, and then measuring accomplishments annually. FY Accomplishments Made progress toward achieving the Chief s 10-Year Wilderness Stewardship Challenge (10YWSC)(see figure 3). The goal of the Chief s 10YWSC is to have all Forest Service wilderness areas managed to a minimum stewardship level by 2014, coinciding with the 50th anniversary of the Wilderness Act. Overall, the number of wildernesses reporting as being managed to this base level increased from 48 (11.8 percent of all wildernesses) in FY 2005 to 67 (or 16.5 percent of the total) in FY Wildernesses must score 60 points to be considered meeting this standard. The average wilderness score has risen from 34.7 in FY 2005 to 42.3 in FY Implemented a number of other initiatives to further the goals of the 10YWSC, including: Each region developed a strategy for achieving the 10YWSC. The approaches used, however, differ widely. For example, in FY 2006, national forests in the Eastern Region competed for $50,000 with proposals to bring their wildernesses up to standard. The Wilderness Advisory Group (WAG) developed a number of documents to communicate the goals of the 10YWSC and to assist field units with meeting the challenge. Specifically, the WAG developed the: Wilderness Stewardship: The 10-Year Wilderness Stewardship Challenge brochure to communicate the goals of the challenge, describe its elements, and challenge agency staff and partners to take part and help make the 10YWSC a success (see figure 4). 10-Year Wilderness Stewardship Challenge Guidebook to help field managers consistently interpret and report their accomplishment on the 10 elements. Figure 4. Wilderness Stewardship brochure Figure Year Wilderness Stewardship Challange (Percent of wilderness meeting standard) 10 Year Wilderness Stewardship Challenge R1 R2 R3 R4 R5 R6 R8 R9 R10 FY % 19.6% 13.5% 13.5% 9.6% 0.0% 10.1% 8.2% 0.0% FY % 37.0% 0.0% 21.6% 19.2% 0.0% 10.1% 24.5% 0.0% FY % 37.0% 1.9% 40.5% 21.2% 0.0% 10.1% 18.4% 0.0% Fiscal Years in Review 7

8 Established the first baseline for rivers meeting statutory requirements. The Wilderness and Wild and Scenic Rivers Staff, working in cooperation with regional program managers, developed a performance measure to gauge accomplishment in the wild and scenic rivers program. This measure, rivers meeting statutory requirements, tracks agency progress at meeting the requirements of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, such as a detailed description of the outstandingly remarkable values and development of a comprehensive river management plan. The reporting tool was incorporated into Infra-WSR, a new module in Infra, with the first reporting accomplished in FY The FY 2007 reporting indicated that 45 rivers or 43.3 percent of the rivers for which the Forest Service has a management responsibility have currently met the requirements of the act. Challenges That Remain There are many competing priorities, and the trajectory of funds making it to the ground for wilderness stewardship is down. Progress on the 10YWSC remains challenging and, at the current rate, the 10YWSC may not reach its 100-percent goal by The current performance measure for wild and scenic rivers captures the statutory requirements necessary to frame implementation of key provisions of the act. It was not intended to reflect the agency s ability to actively manage based on resulting direction and, thereby, protect river values. A measure to evaluate active management, tied specifically to direction in the act, is under development for implementation in FY Wilderness and Wild and Scenic Rivers Program

9 Develop and Promote a Skilled Workforce The Wilderness and Wild and Scenic Rivers Program can only be successful if it has a trained and skilled workforce capable of professionally developing and implementing stewardship programs. FY Accomplishments Training and Education Activities Wilderness Training: [see sidebar] Conducted 13 interagency wilderness stewardship training courses for more than 550 employees to encourage a more consistent interpretation of the Wilderness Act between the four Federal wilderness management agencies. In collaboration with field staff and wilderness managers, gathered materials and developed and posted 16 online toolboxes on Wilderness. net ( the interagency wilderness Web site. These toolboxes provide outlines, guidelines, templates, and other informational resources to help managers implement the 10YWSC and address other specific stewardship issues. This approach of sharing successful examples helps the agency make progress on the challenge while reducing costs. Produced a shortened (24-minute) version of the popular video American Values: American Wilderness to introduce wilderness to visitors at visitor and interpretive centers. Wild and Scenic Rivers Training: Developed wild and scenic rivers course curricula through the Council for Section 7 of the act and the study process. Course content was derived from the Council s technical reports on each topic area. Using these curricula, conducted interagency training in California, Oregon, and at the River Management Society Biennial Symposium in Nebraska for approximately 150 students. Conducted wild and scenic rivers training at the Forest Service s Eastern and Southern Region s University. Conducted an Interagency River Manager s Workshop in Missoula, MT, in May 2007 [see sidebar]. Arthur Carhart National Wilderness Training Center The Carhart Center was established in 1993 to preserve the values and benefits of wilderness for present and future generations by connecting agency employees and the public with their wilderness heritage through training, information, and education. Using an interagency team approach, the staff of seven works with experts within and outside the agencies to develop comprehensive interagency solutions to critical wilderness stewardship issues. Training is tied directly to core technical competencies and offered in the classroom and on the computer. Materials are developed in direct response to agency needs and distributed electronically. By coordinating with wilderness managers from each agency and by leveraging limited resources across agencies, duplication of effort, staff, and funding is virtually eliminated. The Carhart Center is jointly staffed and funded through an interagency partnership between the Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Forest Service. Oversight is provided by national wilderness program leaders from each of these four agencies. The interagency staff of Carhart Center (from left to right): Tim Devine, National Park Service representative; Lisa Eidson, Wilderness.net Webmaster; Tom Carlson, Forest Service representative; Karen Lindsey, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service representative; Connie Myers, director; Elaine Poser, administrative specialist; Chris Barns, Bureau of Land Management representative; Shirley Chase, administrative support Fiscal Years in Review 9

10 Awards Wilderness Award Winners for 2005 and 2006 National wilderness awards recognize individuals and groups that have improved service to the public, championed new techniques or ideas in wilderness stewardship, and improved the wilderness resource. The Chief presents the awards each year at a National Leadership Team ceremony in Washington, DC. Not all award categories are presented each year. The following are the award categories and recipients for 2005 and AWARD CATEGORY 2005 RECIPIENT 2006 RECIPIENT Aldo Leopold Award for Overall Wilderness Stewardship Program Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit and the Eldorado National Forest, Region 5 Bob Marshall Award for Individual Champion of Wilderness Stewardship Internal Liese Dean, Sawtooth National Forest, Region 4 External Mark Hesse, Executive Director, Rocky Mountain Field Institute, Colorado Springs, CO Wilderness Education Leadership Award Mary Emerick, Tongass National Forest, Region 10 Beth Boyst, White River National Forest, Region 2 Wilderness Recreation Forum Core Team, Region 2 Internal Sierra Nevada Wilderness Education Project John Kramer, Gila National Forest, Region 3 Board of Directors, Central and Southern Sierra Wilderness Managers Group External Brent Pettey, Stanislaus Wilderness Volunteers Superior National Forest and Partners, Region 9 Research Research application Line Officer Wilderness Leadership Award Excellence in Wilderness Stewardship Award Traditional Skills and Minimum Tool Leadership Award Ian Barlow, Michelle Mitchell, and Harold Shenk, National Forests in Florida, Region 8 Excellence in Wilderness Stewardship Research Award Institute of Arctic Biology, Regional Resilience and Adaptation Program, University of Alaska Fairbanks Dr. Peter Landres, Aldo Leopold Wilderness Research Institute. Mary Peterson, Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest, Region 2 John Glenn, Region 5 Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness District Ranger Council: Dan Ritter, Chuck Oliver, Dave Campbell, Cindy Lane, Chad Benson, and Joe Hudson, Region 1 Steve Boutcher, Wilderness and Wild and Scenic Rivers Staff, Washington Office Recipients of the 2006 Wilderness Awards, accompanied by Gail Kimbell, Chief, and Chris Brown, Director of Wilderness and Wild and Scenic Rivers. From left to right: John Kramer, Lee Lambert, Denny Bschor (for Mary Emerick), Cindy Lane, John Glenn, Chuck Oliver, Chief Gail Kimbell, Beth Boyst, Steve Boutcher, Anne Vickery, Chris Brown, Duane Lula, and Craig Mackey. 10 Wilderness and Wild and Scenic Rivers Program

11 Wild and Scenic River Award Winners for 2006 and 2007: Each year the River Management Society, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the protection and sound management of North America s river resources, recognizes contributions to the art and science of river management through its awards program. In addition to the three categories awarded by the River Management Society (River Manager of the Year, Outstanding Contribution to River Management, and Outstanding Contribution to the River Management Society), the Interagency Wild and Scenic Rivers Coordinating Council has, since 2000, sponsored the Frank Church Wild and Scenic Rivers Award. Recent Forest Service recipients of these awards include: Frank Church Wild and Scenic Rivers Award (2006) n Darryl Mullinix, forest engineer (retired), Nez Perce National Forest, Region 1. For leadership in promoting and protecting wild and scenic rivers and advancing program awareness. River Manager of the Year (2007) n Greta Movassaghi, natural resource specialist, Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, Region 6 For exemplary leadership in managing the Skagit Wild and Scenic River. Greta Movassaghi Challenges That Remain n Getting line and staff to attend wilderness and wild and scenic rivers training is challenging because it competes with other training that is required during a time of increasingly limited staff time and funding. n In response to training challenges, some courses offered by the Carhart Center and the Interagency Wild and Scenic Rivers Coordinating Council will be delivered electronically via networked computers and individually paced learning with computer-based training modules. This blended approach to training presents a significant learning curve to course coordinators, instructors, and participants Interagency River Managers Workshop The Forest Service sponsored the 2007 Interagency River Managers Workshop Relationships Along a River in Missoula, MT, from May 21 to 24. Cohosted by the Northern Region and Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks with special thanks to the Bureau of Land Management and the River Management Society this workshop was developed by river managers for river managers. Concurrent sessions focused on three river management themes, with activities that engaged and challenged attendees: n Restoration/Stewardship n Community Involvement/ Partnerships n Recreation Over 150 people from the Federal river management agencies, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, and other agencies participated. Participant course reviews revealed that the primary goal to develop a workshop that all river managers would find useful was met and exceeded! Fiscal Years in Review 11

12 Extend and Enhance Capacity The various challenges facing wilderness and wild and scenic rivers management due to declining budgets, decreasing staffing levels, and increasing demands are real and cannot be ignored. Our program needs to be creative in how we adapt to these changing times by being more efficient with our existing funds and bringing additional resources to bear on the complex task before us. One way to increase our capacity is to expand opportunities for working with our partners to accomplish essential work, such as restoration and visitor contacts. Another is to embrace new ways of doing business, such as automating work functions, which were done manually in the past or, perhaps more commonly, not done at all. FY Accomplishments Partnership Success Stories Along with the Headwaters Institute, cohosted the Salmon RiverFest and Symposium in the summers of 2006 and 2007 on the White Salmon Wild and Scenic River in Washington to celebrate the designation of the river into the NWSRS and to discuss the important values for which the wild and scenic river was established to protect. In partnership with seven organizations, and with financial support from the National Park Service, pilot-tested North Cascades Wild, a 10-day experiential wilderness stewardship program for inner-city youth in the Pacific Northwest to build a constituency of caring, knowledgeable youth who will become the next generation of wilderness stewards. This effort, jump-started with Federal funding, is now being replicated with leadership and funding from North Cascades Institute. Helped secure grants and materials to assist the county and the nonprofit group Friends of Wilson Creek with the development of a visitor center for the Wilson Creek Wild and Scenic River in North Carolina. Additionally, a county and friends group worked cooperatively with the Forest Service on watershed restoration efforts and improving the trails system. Partnered with the Student Conservation Association to provide training for more than 30 volunteers, resulting not only in the maintenance of 55 miles of trail in the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness in Idaho, but also in the establishment of a Traditional Skills Development Team Partnership. This partnership includes the wilderness managing agencies and several national and regional trails and conservation organizations working together to standardize the curriculum, develop a national skills certification program, and train employees and citizen stewards in traditional tool use, while accomplishing project work. To use the Clarion Wild and Scenic River to encourage the growth of tourism and related businesses in north central Pennsylvania, formed a partnership with the Pennsylvania 12 Wilderness and Wild and Scenic Rivers Program

13 Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and four counties and their municipalities. The partnership helps protect and conserve this national treasure and, specifically, responds to the recreational opportunities and challenges facing the Clarion. Forest Service participation resulted in developing an intergovernmental recreation assessment, compiling extensive resource inventories, and securing grants to improve river access and provide recreational amenities, such as designated dispersed campsites, two comfort stations, and a coordinated sign plan. New Ways of Doing Business Developed and implemented a corporate database for wild and scenic rivers, known as Infra-WSR. The data are maintained by both the Washington Office and by data stewards identified for each wild and scenic river. This database replaces the traditional approach of keeping crib sheets, which quickly become obsolete, or having to contact forest staff to answer questions about candidate or designated wild and scenic rivers in response to information requests. Use of Infra-WSR will improve the quality and availability of information about wild and scenic rivers for agency management purposes, as well as for providing the public through the Internet. The three other Federal river-administering agencies are interested in replicating our design, and key nonprofit entities have recognized the Forest Service for this product. With a long-term objective of increasing our ability to better protect wild and scenic river resources, developed a partnership agreement with American Rivers to help identify and recruit river and watershed groups with an interest in providing volunteer stewardship for Forest Service administered rivers. This project is a great fit with the mission of American Rivers, which is to protect, promote, and restore this country s rivers. Several products were developed in this first year (2007), including an assessment of materials needed to cultivate and support stewardship groups, a listserve to effectively network, and plans for a training workshop for nascent stewardship groups at the May 2008 River Rally. Challenges That Remain Relying on partners to accomplish essential work is increasingly becoming a standard practice. To succeed, we must move beyond the cliché of doing it with partners and volunteers and develop a stable system of long-term collaboration, shared workload, close communication, and mutual trust. This desired outcome requires appropriately skilled agency staff and the support of leadership to make the partnership program thrive. The Wilderness and Wild and Scenic Rivers Staff expects to be at the forefront of Forest Service partnership efforts in 2008 and beyond. National Forest Foundation Grants In celebration of the 40th anniversary of the Wilderness Act, the Forest Service issued a Wilderness Stewardship Challenge, calling for all wilderness areas in the NFS to meet the key elements of successful wilderness stewardship by The National Forest Foundation (NFF), as the official nonprofit partner of the Forest Service, increased the resources available to meet this challenge by providing matching awards of up to $50,000 to nonprofit conservation organizations to implement on-the-ground restoration projects that directly benefit wilderness areas within the NFS. Since 2004, the NFF has awarded more than $985,000 to support these special areas through the award of 42 matching grants to 31 different nonprofit conservation organizations throughout the United States. Additionally, in 2006, the NFF initiated a special program to engage volunteers in wilderness restoration through a partnership with sporting goods retailer REI. The Wilderness Volunteer Program provided financial support for 14 nonmatching awards totaling $100,000. Because organizations typically leverage NFF conservation awards at a ratio of at least 2 to 1, the estimated conservation impact of both programs is more than $2,050,000. Fiscal Years in Review 13

14 The Challenge Ahead The many challenges that remain form the basis for our program in FY 2008 and beyond. At the risk of oversimplification, the Wilderness and Wild and Scenic Rivers Staff will focus on: Identity How do we increase recognition of the significant contributions that the Wilderness and Wild and Scenic Rivers Program makes to the Forest Service mission and to our Nation s health? How do we set a place for the program at the budget and staffing table? Integration How do we increase integration with other program areas to ensure that we achieve the 10YWSC, the wild and scenic rivers program agenda: Free Flowing Forever, and Wilderness Character Monitoring? How do we ensure that the Wilderness and Wild and Scenic Rivers Program becomes part of the fabric of this agency? Integrity What can we do to preserve the integrity of our wilderness and river systems and to support managers in making good decisions? Innovation How do we capture the incredibly creative methods to increase field presence, skill level, and depth on the bench through partnerships and volunteers? How do we meaningfully engage nongovernmental organizations and citizen stewards in preserving wilderness and wild and scenic rivers? Fortunately, while small in number, the Wilderness and Wild and Scenic River Staff is large in experience and, with your help, is up to the challenge these issues present. By working together, the collective wilderness and wild and scenic rivers community can meet the challenges presented by these issues and so fulfill the laudable purposes of the wilderness and wild and scenic rivers acts. 14 Wilderness and Wild and Scenic Rivers Program

15 Year In Review

16 United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service NWPS NWSRS FS-882 January 2008 The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or part of an individual s income is derived from any public assistance program. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA s TARGET Center at (202) (voice and TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C , or call (800) (voice) or (202) (TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.