EWP Briefing Papers
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Founded in 1994, the Ecosystem Workforce Program was created to help lead the rural Pacific Northwest into the age of ecosystem management--management for healthy communities and healthy environments. The EWP believes that, by creating high skill forest and watershed jobs that enable people to work near their homes, we will establish a structure for long term resource stewardship. Our goal is to demonstrate the linkages between a quality workforce, a healthy economy, healthy community, and effective management for forest ecosystems.
For more information, visit the web site at: http://ewp.uoregon.edu/
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Item Open Access Land manager experiences with resilience in national forest planning and management(Ecosystem Workforce Program, Institute for a Sustainable Environment, University of Oregon, 2020) Coughlan, Michael R.; Ellison, Autumn; Abrams, Jesse; Huber-Stearns, HeidiAs the concept of resilience has gained importance as a guiding principle in land management objectives and policies in recent years, there has been some question about how the concept is operationalized in forest planning efforts. In this Joint Fire Science Program-funded research project, we surveyed 428 USDA Forest Service planners to get their perspectives on what resilience means, what it takes to plan for resilience, and the factors that complicate and encourage resilient landscape outcomes. Survey results illustrate how resilience is incorporated into planning and how well it aligns with planning processes and frameworks on a broader scale, including factors that enable or constrain managing for resilience.Item Open Access Planning and managing for resilience : lessons from national forest plan revisions(Ecosystem Workforce Program, Institute for a Sustainable Environment, University of Oregon, 2020) Abrams, Jesse; Greiner, Michelle; Timberlake, Thomas; Schultz, Courtney A.; Evans, Alexander M.; Huber-Stearns, HeidiRecent federal forest and wildfire policies have increasingly united around a vision of restoring resilient landscapes in the face of increasingly destructive wildfires driven by altered forest conditions and climate change. The process of revising forest plans guiding national forest management presents opportunities to reorient management informed by concepts of resilience. This Joint Fire Science Program-funded research used case studies of three recently completed national forest plan revision processes to determine whether and how USDA Forest Service staff were able to plan for resilient outcomes. The lessons from our comparative analysis are relevant for forest managers and key stakeholders attempting to plan in pursuit of more resilient landscapes.Item Open Access Strategies for addressing mountain pine beetle outbreaks on national forests(Ecosystem Workforce Program, Institute for a Sustainable Environment, University of Oregon, 2019) Davis, Emily Jane; Huber-Stearns, Heidi; Abrams, Jesse; Steen-Adams, Michelle M.; Bone, Christopher,1978-; Moseley, Cassandra; Ellison, AutumnElevated outbreaks of mountain pine beetle (Dendroctonus ponderosae) have occurred on national forests across the western U.S. over the past two decades. Resulting widespread tree mortality has affected forest health, tourism and recreation, the timber industry, public safety, and other values. There is an ongoing need to better understand federal land management approaches to mountain pine beetle (MPB) and other disturbances on public lands, as well as the variables that support or inhibit effective responses. This National Science Foundation-funded research investigated MPB response through case studies on national forestlands in five states, focusing on feedbacks between social and ecological systems during outbreaks.Item Open Access Lessons learned from the Blue Mountains restoration strategy team(Ecosystem Workforce Program, Institute for a Sustainable Environment, University of Oregon, 2018) Huber-Stearns, Heidi; Santo, Anna; Davis, Emily Jane; Moseley, Cassandra; Ellison, AutumnIn January 2013, the Pacific Northwest Region of the Forest Service initiated the Eastside Restoration Strategy to improve forest health conditions by accelerating the pace and scale of restoration on national forests in eastern Oregon and Washington. As part of this effort, the Region created a dedicated interdisciplinary (ID) Blue Mountains Restoration Strategy team to conduct landscape-level planning across three national forests and innovate strategies to more effectively reach planning decisions. The team worked on two NEPA processes: a 100,000-acre project on one forest, and 600,000 acres of dry forest restoration activities across three forests. In 2016, the Forest Service requested a review to identify transferrable insights from the project.Item Open Access Collaborative landscape restoration on forests without CFLRP or Joint Chiefs' investments(Ecosystem Workforce Program, Institute for a Sustainable Environment, University of Oregon, 2018) Ellison, Autumn; Kooistra, Chad; Schultz, Courtney A.; Moseley, CassandraIn 2017, we studied two restoration initiatives: the Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Program (CFLRP) and the Joint Chiefs Landscape Restoration Partnership (JCLRP). Both programs competitively award multi-year funding for collaborative, landscape-scale restoration work on high-priority landscapes. To understand how other forests and landscapes viewed these programs and accomplish high-priority restoration work, we interviewed forest-level leadership and collaborative partners on national forests that had never participated in either program. Through interviews with 38 people on 20 national forests, we investigated how forests are conducting large-scale collaborative restoration in the absence of these targeted funding initiatives.Item Open Access Strategies for success : the Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Program(Ecosystem Workforce Program, Institute for a Sustainable Environment, University of Oregon, 2017) Schultz, Courtney A.; Moseley, CassandraIn 2017, we studied the Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Program (CFLRP), which was established by Congress in 2009 to provide 8-10 years of funding for collaborative implementation of restoration projects on priority landscapes larger than 50,000 acres. Through a survey with 229 agency personnel and 81 interviews with equal numbers of Forest Service personnel and external partners, we identified the value added by this initiative, strategies for success, and implications for the future.Item Open Access Piloting restoration-oriented social and economic performance measures(Ecosystem Workforce Program, Institute for a Sustainable Environment, University of Oregon, 2017) Moseley, Cassandra; Huber-Stearns, HeidiForest and watershed restoration on national forests and grasslands has ecological, social, and economic objectives. Forest Service performance measures have largely focused on outputs associated with land treatments, rather than ecological, social, and economic outcomes, in part because outputs are much more easily measured than outcomes. Over the past several years, the Forest Service has undertaken initiatives to develop performance measures that are broader in scope and more outcome-oriented. The Watershed Condition Framework was one such effort for tracking ecological measures related to watershed restoration. This briefing paper summarizes key findings from an effort to pilot social and economic performance measures associated with watershed restoration.Item Open Access Iconic places of the US Forest Service : conditions and concerns(Ecosystem Workforce Program, Institute for a Sustainable Environment, University of Oregon, 2017) Ellison, Autumn; Johnduff, MichaelThe US Forest Service manages over 7 million acres of areas protected either by Congress through legislation or by the Executive Branch via proclamation under the authority of the Antiquities Act. These sites are singled out for their outstanding examples of plant and animal communities, recreation settings, geological features, scenic grandeur, or other special attributes. These iconic places are often culturally important to tribes and local residents. Recreation and other uses of iconic places generate economic activity and support local communities. Despite their importance, there has been little research on the current conditions and needs of these places. This project examines current conditions and management of iconic places as well as management needs to sustain these places for the future.Item Open Access Successful strategies for forest restoration : the CFLRP and Joint Chiefs Partnership(Ecosystem Workforce Program, Institute for a Sustainable Environment, University of Oregon, 2017) Schultz, Courtney A.; Moseley, CassandraIn 2017, we studied two restoration initiatives: 1) The Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Program (CFLRP), which was established by Congress in 2009 to provide 8-10 years of funding for collaborative implementation of restoration projects on priority landscapes, and 2) The Joint Chiefs Landscape Restoration Partnership (JCLRP), a partnership between the Forest Service and NRCS to promote landscape- scale restoration work across public and private lands. Through a survey with 425 agency personnel and 143 interviews with agency personnel and external partners, we identified the value added by these initiatives, strategies for success, and implications for the future.Item Open Access Strategies for success : the Joint Chiefs Landscape Restoration Partnership(Ecosystem Workforce Program, Institute for a Sustainable Environment, University of Oregon, 2017) Schultz, Courtney A.; Moseley, CassandraIn 2017, we studied the Joint Chiefs Landscape Restoration Partnership (JCLRP), a partnership between the Forest Service and Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) designed to promote coordinated, landscape-scale restoration work across public and private lands to reduce fire danger, improve water quality, and enhance wildlife habitat. Through a survey with 196 agency personnel and 62 interviews with Forest Service and NRCS personnel and external partners, we identified the value added by this initiative, strategies for success, and implications for the future.Item Open Access Rangeland fire protection associations : an alternative model of wildfire response(Ecosystem Workforce Program, Institute for a Sustainable Environment, University of Oregon, 2017) Davis, Emily Jane; Abrams, Jesse; Wollstein, Katherine; Meacham, James E.; Steingisser, Alethea Y., 1970-; Cerveny, Lee K.Wildfires are growing in size, frequency, and severity across rangelands in the U.S. West. Although fire is a natural component of sagebrush steppe ecosystems, it can also threaten values such as sage-grouse habitat, forage for grazing, and residential and commercial structures and encourage invasive plant establishment. Wildfire suppression responsibilities have historically been divided among resident ranchers, some rural fire districts, and government agencies. But wildfire, and interest in managing it, crosses ownership boundaries. Since the 1990s, numerous Rangeland Fire Protection Associations (RFPAs) have emerged in Oregon and Idaho, and a recent law authorizes RFPAs in Nevada as well. RFPAs organize and authorize rancher participation in fire suppression alongside federal agency firefighters, typically from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). These all-volunteer crews of ranchers have training and legal authority to respond to fires on private and state lands in landscapes where there had been no existing fire protection, and can become authorized to respond on federal lands as well. There has been growing policy interest in better understanding the RFPA model.Item Open Access NEPA for the 21st century : linking research to management(Ecosystem Workforce Program, Institute for a Sustainable Environment, University of Oregon, 2017) Huber-Stearns, Heidi; Acton, MariahIn response to growing concerns around the management and implementation of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Pacific Northwest Research Station and Ecosystem Management Coordination in the Washington Office launched the “NEPA for the 21st Century” initiative in 2006. The initiative explored ways for improving how the Forest Service executes NEPA responsibilities. Policy analysts, academics, consultants, and other professionals examined agency NEPA practices to uncover opportunities to improve the processes and outcomes associated with compliance. This research synthesizes the studies, publications, agency learning opportunities, and participants’ perspectives on the initiative.Item Open Access The effect of state and federal policies on biomass business investments in Wisconsin(Ecosystem Workforce Program, Institute for a Sustainable Environment, University of Oregon, 2017) Becker, Dennis R.; Abrams, Jesse; Fenster, Emily; Kudrna, Jordan; Smith, Timothy M.; Moseley, CassandraWood-based biomass energy plays a key role in Wisconsin’s wood products economy and in the state’s commitment to renewable energy. The state has developed numerous policies and programs to support biomass energy harvesting, transportation, and production, and the federal government has implemented policies to support related business development. The research reported here investigates what policies have been most important in fostering biomass business investments in Wisconsin and in creating strategic opportunities along the biomass supply chain.Item Open Access The effect of state and federal policies on biomass business investments in Washington(Ecosystem Workforce Program, Institute for a Sustainable Environment, University of Oregon, 2017) Becker, Dennis R.; Abrams, Jesse; Fenster, Emily; Kudrna, Jordan; Smith, Timothy M.; Moseley, CassandraWood-based biomass energy plays a key role in Washington’s wood products economy and in the state’s commitment to renewable energy. The state has developed numerous policies and programs to support biomass energy harvesting, transportation, and production, and the federal government has implemented policies to support related business development. The research reported here investigates what policies have been most important in fostering biomass business investments in Washington and in creating strategic opportunities along the biomass supply chain.Item Open Access The effect of state and federal policies on biomass business investments in Oregon(Ecosystem Workforce Program, Institute for a Sustainable Environment, University of Oregon, 2017) Becker, Dennis R.; Abrams, Jesse; Fenster, Emily; Kudrna, Jordan; Smith, Timothy M.; Moseley, CassandraWood-based biomass energy plays a key role in Oregon’s wood products economy and in the state’s commitment to renewable energy. The state has developed numerous policies and programs to support biomass energy harvesting, transportation, and production, and the federal government has implemented policies to support related business development. The research reported here investigates what policies have been most important in fostering biomass business investments in Oregon and in creating strategic opportunities along the biomass supply chain.Item Open Access The effect of state and federal policies on biomass business investments in Minnesota(Ecosystem Workforce Program, Institute for a Sustainable Environment, University of Oregon, 2017) Becker, Dennis R.; Abrams, Jesse; Fenster, Emily; Kudrna, Jordan; Smith, Timothy M.; Moseley, CassandraWood-based biomass energy plays a key role in Minnesota’s wood products economy and in the state’s commitment to renewable energy. The state has developed numerous policies and programs to support biomass energy harvesting, transportation, and production, and the federal government has implemented policies to support related business development. The research reported here investigates what policies have been most important in fostering biomass business investments in Minnesota and in creating strategic opportunities along the biomass supply chain.Item Open Access The effect of state and federal policies on biomass business investments in Michigan(Ecosystem Workforce Program, Institute for a Sustainable Environment, University of Oregon, 2017) Becker, Dennis R.; Abrams, Jesse; Fenster, Emily; Kudrna, Jordan; Smith, Timothy M.; Moseley, CassandraWood-based biomass energy plays a key role in Michigan’s wood products economy and in the state’s commitment to renewable energy. The state has developed numerous policies and programs to support biomass energy harvesting, transportation, and production, and the federal government has implemented policies to support related business development. The research reported here investigates what policies have been most important in fostering biomass business investments in Michigan and in creating strategic opportunities along the biomass supply chain.Item Open Access The effect of state and federal policies on biomass business investments in California(Ecosystem Workforce Program, Institute for a Sustainable Environment, University of Oregon, 2017) Becker, Dennis R.; Abrams, Jesse; Fenster, Emily; Kudrna, Jordan; Smith, Timothy M.; Moseley, CassandraWood-based biomass energy plays a key role in California’s wood products economy and in the state’s commitment to renewable energy. The state has developed numerous policies and programs to support biomass energy harvesting, transportation, and production, and the federal government has implemented policies to support related business development. The research reported here investigates what policies have been most important in fostering biomass business investments in California and in creating strategic opportunities along the biomass supply chain.Item Open Access A profile of community-based organizations in the U.S. West(Ecosystem Workforce Program, Institute for a Sustainable Environment, University of Oregon, 2016) Abrams, Jesse; Ellison, Autumn; Davis, Emily Jane; Moseley, Cassandra; Nowell, BrandaCommunity-based organizations (CBOs) are non-profit organizations based in rural communities that work on both local economic development and natural resource stewardship. CBOs were established in many places across the U.S. West to help struggling rural communities build sustainable natural resource-based economies. They often serve communities that were greatly affected by changes to public land policy and changes in the timber industry or other natural resource industries since the late 1980s. These communities have typically experienced social conflict, unemployment, and other challenges related to environmental management. In 2016 we conducted a survey of CBOs across the West to better understand their organizational characteristics and activities.Item Open Access A profile of federal timber purchases in the U.S. West(Ecosystem Workforce Program, Institute for a Sustainable Environment, University of Oregon, 2016) Davis, Emily Jane; Abrams, JesseThe US Forest Service primarily engages the private sector through service contracts, stewardship contracts, and timber sales. Both stewardship project and timber sales can generate commercially valuable wood products, and some businesses may rely on these federal timber sources. However, little is known about the timber-purchasing businesses currently active on federal lands. To gain a better understanding of these businesses, we investigated their characteristics, business needs, challenges, and reliance on federal timber sales.