2020 Webinars for Online Learning

The SWFC team has added to the resource section of our website a list of industry webinars from 2020. Our team and partners have found these webinars informative, engaging, and useful—and we hope you will too! Topics range from forest collaboratives and fire science, to diversity and inclusion in the outdoors and stewardship.

A few of the series that we’ve linked to are still in progress, which means it’s not too late to register for and attend live sessions. This can be a great opportunity to ask your questions and support our community’s learning initiatives. As of today, the in-progress series include the California Fire Science Seminar Series, Fire in the Shrub Steppe, and the Shared Stewardship Peer Learning Series.

While some of the webinars listed have already been delivered, recordings are available and linked to watch on your own time. Overall, all topics and discussions remain relevant.

Please check out our general resources page to explore these learning opportunities for yourself. We hope you find it helpful! And please let us know of any other great webinars you’ve attended this year!

State of Oregon & Forest Service agree to Shared Stewardship

On August 13, 2019, Oregon Governor Kate Brown and James Hubbard, USDA Under Secretary for Natural Resource and the Environment, signed a Shared Stewardship agreement between the USDA and the state.

This agreement establishes a framework that allows the state and Forest Service to work collaboratively to accomplish mutual goals, further common interests, and effectively respond to the increasing suite of challenges facing the communities, landscapes, natural and cultural resources of Oregon.

This is not the first collaborative opportunity between the State of Oregon and the Forest Service. In 2016 the Forest Service signed a Good Neighbor Authority Agreement with the State of Oregon. This authority allows both agencies to increase the pace and scale of restoration project.

Click here to see the Memorandum of Understanding!

IAC: Good Neighbor Authority Contracted NEPA

Committee members met with the Forest Service (FS) and the Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) to discuss how Categorical Exclusion Analysis works under NEPA. Good Neighbor Authority (GNA) allows the FS and ODF to work together to increase the pace and scale of restoration. Using GNA increases the capacity to get work done, in this case the two agencies are piloting the first contracted Categorical Exclusions Analysis done on the Middle Fork Ranger District.

The contractor, Nature’s Capital LLC completed the analysis for Phase 1 of the Wall Creek GNA project. Specialists from the contracted team shared information on the existing forest conditions and proposed activities, while also reporting on specific findings on wildlife, aquatics, botany, and heritage resources.

After meaningful discussion, the group visited the project area to ask questions and better understand the current conditions within the project area. Overall, this was an excellent opportunity for members to learn about contracted NEPA under GNA.

Field Trip Revisiting Rock Stewardship Sale

Members of the Implementation Advisory Committee revisited the Rock Stewardship Sale area today. The group reviewed recommendations and looked at the work that took place over the last year. Projects completed: thinning, weed abatement, and road closures. The group is still waiting for retained receipts to come back to the forest, at which point the group will discuss project priorities for allocating the funds.

Collaborative recommendations for imbedded projects included:

• Weed Abatement - $3,750

• Road Storage - $15,310

• Fall and Leave - $4,375

You’re Invited to a Stewardship Contracting Workshop!

When?

April 12th, 2018 from 9:00am – 4:00pm

Why?

Stewardship contracting is one of the newer management tools used by the Willamette and other National Forests. Stewardship contracting is a useful tool which allows federal agencies to keep timber revenue local and be reinvested into local roads and service work. The USFS and South Santiam Watershed Council are partnering on this workshop to help contractors understand what stewardship contracting consists of, how the contracting process works, and how to write a successful stewardship bid proposal.

What?

Morning presentations will be followed by an afternoon field trip to visit the recently completed Rock Thin stewardship sale site and discuss implementation of stewardship contracts.  Lunch and field trip transportation provided.

Who?

Special presenter: Tim Daugherty from Idaho Forest Group LLC

Resource specialists:

• Mark Phillipp, Regional Stewardship Team Contracting Officer, US Forest Service

• David Bishop, Forester, Willamette National Forest, US Forest Service

Where?    

Best Western, 1100 Price Road SE, Albany, OR

For more information and to RSVP, contact: 

Jane Barth, Facilitator, at jbbarth@comcast.net or 541-760-4693

Please RSVP no later than April 2nd so we can plan meals, transportation, and workshop materials. Please indicate if you need any special accommodations.

And, please forward this invitation to others who would be interested in stewardship contracting.  Thank you!

Outlook Learning Sessions Wrap Up

The SWFC has officially wrapped up Outlook Learning Sessions and have since moved to Roundtable Discussions!

The Collaborative visited a number of different proposed project sites and discussed a broad range of treatments!

We looked through a number of different lenses:

• Terrestrial Landscape, Invasives & Habitat

• Vegetation Treatments, Biomass & Fire

• Aquatics & Roads

• Economic Impacts of Restoration Work 

With restoration efforts ranging from

• Early-Seral Habitat Maintenance

• Treatment of Existing Noxious Weed Populations

• Snag and Down Wood Creation in Mature Stands

• In-Channel Stream Wood Placement

• Road Maintenance 

• Road Closures

• Mitigation of Existing Soil Compaction