US FOREST SERVICE international programs Allegheny SAF Meeting Stonewall Jackson Resort February 18, 2010

1. US FOREST SERVICE international programs Allegheny SAF Meeting Stonewall Jackson Resort February 18, 2010

3. THE FOREST SERVICE WORKS INTERNATIONALLY TO: • Apply USFS expertise to assist on natural resource policies, trade and conservation • Bring important international research and technology experiences back to the US • Assist countries in responding to disasters • Internationalize the US Forest Service • Leverage our investments in workforce diversity awareness—overseas assignments provide agency personnel with cross-cultural experiences

4. INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMSMain Staff Units • Technical Cooperation • Policy • Disaster Programs • Outreach and Partnerships • Director’s Office • Operations

5. PARTNERSHIPS • The Forest Service—National Forests, Research Stations, State & Private cooperators • OtherUSDA agencies—Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS), Animal Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), Agricultural Research Service (ARS) • Other USG agencies— Department of State, US Agency for International Development (USAID), Bureau or Land Management (BLM), Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), US Trade Representatives Office (USTR), National Park Service (NPS), US Geological Survey (USGS) • Host-country governments more…

6. PARTNERSHIPS • Private sector—Home Depot, International Paper Inc., Caterpillar • Non-governmental organizations—Wildlife Conservation Society, Wild Salmon Center, Ducks Unlimited, The Nature Conservancy, World Wildlife Fund, Tahoe-Baikal Institute, Memphis Zoo, in-country NGOs • Universities— For example, Colorado State University, University of Montana, University of California at Davis • Multilateral organizations—Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO), International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO), International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN)

7. We work in over 70 countries

8. SUBJECT AREAS • Climate Change • Invasive Species • Migratory Species • Fire • Improved Forestry Practices • Protected Areas • Ecosystem Services • Habitat Management • Watershed Management • Global Natural Resource Policies & Trade • Global Disaster Support • Forest Planning and Monitoring • Ecotourism • Conservation Education

9. INVASIVE SPECIES PROJECTS • Collaborative research fruitful—similar ecosystems and forest pests • Sudden Oak Death • Asian long-horned beetle • Hemlock Woolly Adelgid • Emerald Ash Borer • Collaboration with other USDA agencies (APHIS, ARS, etc.) and Chinese counterparts • Benefits to the US include: • Improved control of existing pests • Prevention of potential infestations

10. US MIGRATORY SPECIES – Birds, Bats and Butterflies • Habitat restoration for: • Bicknell’s thrush in the Dominican Republic • Kirtland’s warbler in the Bahamas • Cerulean warbler in Ecuador/Venezuela • Wings Across the Americas – an integrated all-bird conservation program • Benefits to the US include: • Protection of bird species vital to the ecological and economic health of many local communities • Reduced listed and declining migratory bird species under Endangered Species Act—Prevent land-use restrictions in the US • Protects US investments at home

11. INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS IN AFRICA • Through the Biodiversity Assessment and Technical Support Program consortium, the USFS conducts biodiversity and tropical forest assessments for USAID missions throughout the continent to aid with environmental planning and management • In Tanzania, USFS works with USAID’s implementing partners in four different landscapes, focusing on watershed management and restoration. • In Liberia, the USFS plays a critical role in the US government’s efforts to reform the forest sector and promote sustainable use of natural resources. • The Forest Service is the cross-cutting partner to USAID’s Central African Regional Program for the Environment (CARPE). The Forest Service provides focused technical assistance in areas such as landscape level planning.

12. EXAMPLES OF INTERNATIONAL CLIMATE CHANGE RELATED WORK OF THE USFS • Forest monitoring, national forest inventory • Development and adaptation of tools and models to measure carbon sequestration and to assess the effects of management actions • Study of mitigation measures/management practices for conservation, carbon sequestration, etc • Research on adaptation measures/management practices to maintain genetic diversity • Work to improve economic prospects for forest dependent communities • Management actions to reduce vulnerability to wildfires, pests and other disturbances

13. IMPROVING FORESTRY PRACTICES IN THE BRAZILIAN AMAZON • Conventional logging practices highly destructive • Logging  degradation  fire  deforestation • Reduced-impact logging conserves forest benefits • Benefits to the US include: • Conservation of world biodiversity • A sustainable source of tropical timber needed by US manufacturers

14. HABITAT MANAGEMENT IN RUSSIA • The Forest Service addresses habitat management in the Russian Far East, home to the imperiled Siberian Tiger. • The agency’s long experience in managing at the landscape scale, which integrates wildlife and habitat considerations, is valuable to the work. • By reforesting fire-degraded habitats and introducing controlled burning in Siberia, we hope to foster viable populations of the Tiger’s prey—wild boar and deer. Healthy populations of prey species will, in turn, sustain the Tiger.

15. Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Turkey, and West Bank • Program Areas: • Rangeland Management • Protected Area Management (balancing • conservation and social needs) • Forest Management • SustainableTourism/Trails • Watershed management • Migratory bird conservation • Partners: USAID, Keren Kayemeth Leisrael Israel), Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature (Jordan), Nature Conservation Sector (Egypt)

16. ECOSYSTEM SERVICES • In Vietnam the US Forest Service is working with the Vietnamese Government and Winrock International to implement a pilot program for Payment for Ecosystem Services. • Global Forestry Forum for Forest Service leaders – Oaxaca, Mexico • Linking international models and efforts on the payment of ecosystem services to the United States

17. GLOBAL DISASTER SUPPORT and PREVENTION • US Forest Service applies incident command system to disasters around the world. • US Forest Service has responded to both natural and human-caused disasters. • Mitigation and Preparedness: India Incident Command Training • Recent responses: Haiti Response, Tsunami Response, Hurricane Katrina Effort, Darfur Humanitarian Response, Iran Earthquake Crisis Effort, Iraq Humanitarian Crisis, Afghanistan Humanitarian Crisis, India Earthquake, Post 9-11 New York City Training, Columbia Shuttle Recovery

18. ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL SEMINARS • International Seminar on Protected Area Management—coordinated by International Programs, University of Montana, Colorado State University, and University of Idaho • Spanish Language Field Course in Wildlands & Protected Area Management—coordinated by International Programs and Colorado State University • International Seminar on Watershed Management—coordinated by International Programs • International Seminar on Natural Resources and Climate Change—coordinated by International Programs and University of California at Davis

19. INTERNATIONAL VISITOR PROGRAM – • J-1 Exchange Visitor Program • Visiting Research Scholars • Government Visitors • Study Tours • Students – Training Programs Services • J-1 Visas – Issuance of the DS-2019 • Advising – Immigration, Employment, Intercultural Communication, Adjustment • Travel – Tickets and Logistics • Insurance – Accident/Illness/Emergency Evacuation • Allowances/Reimbursements – Debit Cards/Checks

20. GETTING THE WORD OUT ABOUT INTERNATIONAL WORK OF THE FOREST SERVICE • Electronic Contacts list— over 12,000 names and growing to promote Forest Service work around the globe • Newsletter—highlights the range of forestry and natural resource management topics • Website—an award-winning site with in-depth information on ongoing Forest Service activities worldwide

22. For more information on International Programs, Visit our website: www.fs.fed.us/global