WCC_OLD1003: Coordination of Western Regional Extension Forestry Activities
(Multistate Research Coordinating Committee and Information Exchange Group)
Status: Inactive/Terminating
WCC_OLD1003: Coordination of Western Regional Extension Forestry Activities
Duration: 10/01/2014 to 09/30/2019
Administrative Advisor(s):
NIFA Reps:
Non-Technical Summary
Statement of Issues and Justification
Justification: The Western states have 233 million acres of forested lands, with approximately 66% of these forests being in the public domain while 34% are owned by non-governmental entities (source: National Association of State Foresters, www.stateforesters.org.) These non-governmental stakeholders constitute a primary target for extension educational programs in woodland and forest management and wildlife habitat enhancement, and other natural resource issues. Communities in and closely adjacent to forests are another important consumer of extension forestry information. There is a need across the West to develop coordinated extension forestry efforts on a multi-state basis to achieve both programmatic and administrative efficiency and to help meet the requirements of the Agricultural, Research, Extension and Education Reform Act (AREERA).
Currently, the western states extension forestry programs vary widely in scope and depth. Numerous states have only one or very few agents or specialists predominantly dedicated to forestry, with only one state having 20 or more. The Western Coordination Committee (WCC) will coordinate the wide diversity of resources committed to western extension forestry and related renewable natural resources.
Objectives
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Identify existing successful state forestry Extension programs and leverage their effectiveness through shared information and resources.
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Develop a list of priority forestry issues in the West and the Extension assets available to address the issues.
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Coordinate regional responses to funding opportunities and collaborative responses to emerging issues, including a) Seek extramural resources; and b) identify opportunities for multistate collaboration and integrated activities.
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Strengthen regional partnerships.
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Develop and manage appropriate regional forestry programs and publications.
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Objective 6: Engage with the U.S. Forest Service western research stations to assist with their science delivery needs and to broker strong science-management integration.
Procedures and Activities
An email listserv will be established for communication and WCC members will meet in-person annually (an as needed via tele/videoconference) to address the objectives listed above.
Expected Outcomes and Impacts
- Greater regional awareness of common issues and trends.
- Development of new innovations in program design and implementation
- Deeper penetration into common clientele groups and new audiences.
- More effective integration of relevant natural resource disciplines into program design and delivery
- Improved effectiveness and accountability of existing programs.
- Outcome/Impact 6 Increases in number of new or existing landowners reached and acres impacted. Outcome/Impact 7 Enhanced regional and sub-regional opportunities for integrated extension-research activities Outcome/Impact 8 Collaboration with the regional forestry community. Outcome/Impact 9 Development of new resources, including funding increases through appropriation and extramural vehicles. Outcome/Impact 10 Improvement in the use of technical and cost-share programs through expanded educational programs that serve as precursors to such policy tools.
Projected Participation
View Appendix E: ParticipationEducational Plan
The purpose of the Education Plan of the WCC is to develop and extend/broaden information (re: opportunities/challenges) in a coordinated manner, directly to western extension faculty that is relevant to their regional/state forestry discussions.
Organization/Governance
Operational structure: A chair and secretary/chair-elect will be selected from participating western extension forestry representatives with rotating, two-year terms. They will together be responsible for coordinating meetings, writing reports, and communicating with the administrative advisor. An email listserv will be established for communication and WCC members will meet in-person annually (an as needed via tele/videoconference) to address the objectives listed above. The WCC will be governed by an Administrative Board with one representative from each western state appointed by the states Extension Director. The Administrative Advisor will serve as an ex officio member of the Administrative Board.
Proposed partnerships and collaborators will include:
1. Participating western states with extension forestry capacity
2. USDA Forest Service State and Private Forestry
3. Council of Western State Foresters
4. USDA Forest Service Western Regional Foresters
5. Western Agriculture and Natural Resources (ANR) Program Leaders
6. National Association of University Forest Resources Programs (NAUFRP)
7. USDA-National Institute of Food and Agriculture
8. USDA Forest Service Research
9. Western Forestry Leadership Coalition
10. Western Governors Association
11. National Woodland Owners Association and state affiliate organizations
12. Association of Natural Resource Extension Professionals (ANREP)
13. Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)
14. Other regional, national and international forest organizations