NWTF and Forest Service Emphasize Trust and Collaboration in Wildfire Crisis Strategy Implementation
At the 2024 Water Congress Meeting in Colorado, Tom Spezze, NWTF National Director of Conservation Programs, and Brian Ferebee, USDA Forest Service Chief Executive for Intergovernmental Relations and Wildfire Crisis Strategy, delivered a presentation on the national Wildfire Crisis Strategy.
During their session, Spezze and Ferebee dissected the Wildfire Crisis Strategy, emphasizing the necessity for a fresh approach and highlighting the pivotal role of all partners—federal, state and private—in executing a comprehensive, long-term strategy to mitigate wildfire impacts.
A crisis is defined by a period of intense difficulty, trouble, or danger—a time when crucial decisions must be made. The catastrophic wildfires that have devastated the American landscape over the past decade have created a crisis that threatens watersheds and water supplies, communities and all of our natural resources.
Despite being proud of the Forest Service’s efforts to combat the wildfire crisis, Ferebee acknowledged that the pace and scale of their work were insufficient to keep up with the escalating situation. Consequently, the Forest Service launched the Wildfire Crisis Strategy in January of 2022, with Congress allocating nearly $5 billion to address this pressing issue.
The NWTF, in its longstanding 40-year partnership with the Forest Service, signed the first Master Stewardship Agreement with the Forest Service to assist in executing this critical strategy. This stewardship agreement not only aids in mitigating catastrophic wildfires but also contributes to the enhancement of landscapes throughout the western region, benefiting the wild turkey population. Moreover, the NWTF endorses the strategy's emphasis on clean water, healthy forests, resilient communities and robust recreational opportunities, aligning with its broader mission beyond wild turkey conservation.
In these times of crisis, there is a pressing need for urgency and innovative approaches to minimize the devastating impacts of wildfires on the landscape, wildlife and communities. In this search for new approaches, the Timber Transport Pilot was conceived. Through this pilot, the NWTF and partners such as the California Deer Association stepped up to address the challenges arising from widespread wildfires in California.
The goal of the Timber Transport Pilot was to facilitate the movement of surplus fire-killed timber in Northern California, which local sawmills could not process due to the high volume. Devils Tower Forest Products in Wyoming, however, could manage the additional fire-damaged timber. Through a collaborative endeavor involving Forestry First, LLC, which made substantial financial investments in rail sidings, rail cars, bunks, retrofits and debarking equipment, the salvaged wood completed a 1,500-mile journey from Northern California to the Black Hills of Eastern Wyoming. As of January 2024, this pilot project has successfully transported 10 million board feet of material using 180 rail cars across 5,000 acres of land. To put this into perspective, 10 million board feet is equivalent to the lumber needed to construct approximately 600 homes, each with a floor area of 2,000 square feet.
Throughout the discussion, both parties emphasized the necessity of cultural transformation as a precursor to achieving meaningful change. Specifically, Ferebee underscored the importance of shifting the culture of partnerships within the Forest Service, highlighting how this shift could catalyze policy changes at the grassroots level.
The conversation also discussed the concept of "working at the speed of trust," a recurring theme at the Colorado Water Congress presentations. The longstanding partnership between NWTF and Forest Service, exemplifies this principle, as mutual trust has been the cornerstone of their collaboration. This trust, built over the decades, has been pivotal in their joint efforts, with both organizations consistently delivering on their commitments. It was emphasized that progress hinges on trust, and without it, accomplishments are unattainable.
While it has taken two years for these organizations to reach their current stage of collaboration under the Wildfire Crisis Strategy, the true essence of their work lies ahead. This marks an exciting juncture for conservation efforts, and the call to action has been extended to all stakeholders to remain engaged in this journey.