STATE OF THE ROCKIES REPORT

Forestry Panel Addresses Fire Policy and Partnerships

By Headwaters News, 4-12-07

In the West, water is the wonky issue, urbanism is the sexy issue and energy is that cyclical issue that rears its big head every few decades. Meanwhile, forestry just seems to plod along through our history, never forgotten, but only in the spotlight when big fires erupt.

But forest issues are now more important than ever, according to researchers at Colorado College and a panel at the State of the Rockies Conference, which just ended in Colorado Springs. Student and faculty researchers at the school presented their baseline date for the health of the region’s forests, noting the increasing problems with insects and fires. You can read about that report here on NewWest.net.

At the conference’s panel on forestry, a divers group lead a discussion about fire policy and the increasing importance of partnerships and collaboration in addressing forest issues.

Legal scholar Phillip Kannan critiqued the federal Healthy Forests Initiative, and said it reduces public input and weakens environmental laws, rather than discouraging development in at-risk areas. But James Hubbard, Deputy Chief for State and Private Forestry with the U.S. Forest Service, defended the legislation, saying it is used by communities to protect themselves. Yes, it does lessen some environmental reviews, he admitted, but it has only been used to treat 1 million acres of the 24 million acres treated for fires since the National Fire Plan came out a year prior to the Healthy Forests Initiative.

Mary Mitsos, Vice President of Community Conservation at the National Forest Foundation and Merrill Kaufman, retired research ecologist at the Rocky Mountain Research Station, together talked about the need for collaboration in addressing fire, insect infestations and other forestry issues, and offered models on how to address such collaborations.

Headwaters News is offering exclusive coverage of the conference. We invite you to read more about the panel and Hubbard’s keynote.

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