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Healthy Forests Initiative

Healthy Forests Initiative. Al Murphy BLM, NIFC. In August 2002, President Bush announced the “Healthy Forests Initiative for Wildfire Prevention and Stronger Communities.”. Outlines Administration’s plan to:. Accelerate forest restoration Reduce long-term wildfire threat.

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Healthy Forests Initiative

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  1. Healthy Forests Initiative Al Murphy BLM, NIFC

  2. In August 2002, President Bush announced the “Healthy Forests Initiative for Wildfire Prevention and Stronger Communities.”

  3. Outlines Administration’s plan to: • Accelerate forest restoration • Reduce long-term wildfire threat

  4. Directs the Secretaries of the Interior and Agriculture to: • Expedite thinning projects • Speed up the environmental assessment process • Expedite the appeals process. • Continue work on the ten-year Strategy Implementation Plan

  5. A Collaborative Approach for Reducing Wildland Fire Risks to Communities and the Environment10-Year Comprehensive Strategy Implementation PlanMay 2002

  6. The four goals of the 10-Year Comprehensive Strategy are: • Improve Fire Prevention and Suppression • Reduce Hazardous Fuels • Restore Fire-Adapted Ecosystems • Promote Community Assistance

  7. Goal 2: Reduce Hazardous Fuels Implementation Outcome: Hazardous fuels are treated, using appropriate tools, to reduce the risk of unplanned and unwanted wildland fire to communities and to the Environment.

  8. Goal 2 Implementation Tasks • Utilize as appropriate the Cohesive Strategy… • Develop fire management template… • Prepare Internet system for assistance… • Establish a common Internet system for status… • Develop a process for interagency selection of projects… • Assess state and federal regulatory processes…

  9. Streamlining Efforts: • Categorical Exclusions (DOI and FS) • Model Project EA/NEPA Strike Teams (CEQ/DOI) • Streamlining ESA Consultation (F&WS) • Guidance on Short/Long-term Effects (F&WS) • Fire Management Plan Template (DOI) • Fixing Northwest Forest Plan Changes (DOI and FS) Kremmling FO

  10. Off-set costs Support local economies “Stewardship Contracts” • Exchange of forest products for: • Thinning • Habitat restoration • Other services

  11. “In most of our forested areas, we have to look – not at what should be taken out of the forest – but at what the forest should look like when we’re finished doing the thinning.” Rebecca Watson, assistant secretary for land and minerals management, DOI

  12. Would have taken 500 years to treat BLM’s forest health problems. HFI and Fire Management • 12 million acres of restoration needed • 5-yr average of 33,000 acres treated • FY 2003 > 500,000 acres treated

  13. Role of Fire Management • Reduce fuels • Restore ecosystems damaged by invasive species

  14. Active Forest Management includes: • Meeting long-term ecological, economic and community objectives; • Forest thinning • Commercial products • Biomass utilization • Prescribed fire Gunnison FO

  15. Active BLM Forest Management Before After Durango FO

  16. Active BLM Forest Management Before After

  17. Active BLM Forest Management Durango FO

  18. The picture of unhealthy forests and rangelands must change.

  19. Taos FO Anchorage FO

  20. Healthy Forests Initiative www.whitehouse.gov www.fireplan.gov Al Murphy 208-387-5169

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