You Are Appreciated
This is a message from Dustin Miller:
I want you all to know just how much I appreciate not only what you do for this organization, but also how so many of you continue to show up for each other and the communities that we serve.
This week, folks came together for the annual State Forestry Contest at Farragut State Park in Northern Idaho. This was my second year attending this fantastic event which brings together students from school districts across Northern Idaho to compete for awards through testing their knowledge in all aspects of forestry. However, the thing that struck me the most (like last year) was IDL showing up. I was amazed at the number of IDL employees who gave their time to ensure that this was a successful event from everything to setting up, staffing the various stations, and assisting the students participating yesterday. It was a great day!
Another thing that strikes me is how quickly our employees show up for others in need and jump in to help in any way they can. When we have an employee dealing with an illness and is in need of donated leave from others, it never surprises me just how quickly that ask is filled by our generous employees. And when we are short staffed, IDL employees routinely show up and help out to ensure the critical things get done for this agency.
IDL employees show up for others in their communities to donate their time to lead trainings and participate in community meetings in their official capacities, and also donate their time and efforts to other causes that are important to them.
I am proud of you all, proud of this organization, and proud to be a part of a culture that prioritizes showing up for each other. These are the things that matter most. Thank you all for what you do!
Spring Fire Meeting
The 2024 Spring Fire Meeting was held in Coeur d'Alene this week. Director Miller, State Forester Craig Foss and Fire Bureau Chief Josh Harvey were joined by IDL staff who participate in the fire program. This meeting is vital before entering the wildfire season, bringing together the people on the ground and behind the scenes, putting everyone on the same page.
The most easily recognized are the firefighters who are on the front line and their only job is fire, but it takes so many more to make fire suppression successful. Many people from various disciplines within the agency are red carded in a variety of fire tasks including firefighting, fiscal, logistics, transportation, and public information. They all come together when there is a need and operate as One Team.
The Director and Foss discussed the Leaders Intent for the 2024 Fire Season and gave a legislative and budget update. Harvey went over the mission, vision, and values of IDL and gave an update on the Master Agreement.
The meeting was an opportunity to dive deep into the upcoming fire weather report, fire business, the bureau's strategic review, aviation and hazard rules. The fire program has a number of work groups that meet on various topics, there were updates from the warden and helitak to operations work groups.
This meeting is vital before entering the wildfire season, bringing together the people on the ground and behind the scenes, putting everyone on the same page.
 photo by Robbie Johnson
IDL Fire Honored by Alberta, Canada
Alberta, Canada sent IDL a plaque to commemorate the assistance IDL wildland firefighters provided the province during the extreme fire season they experienced in 2023. Josh Harvey shared the plaque with the team during the Spring Fire Meeting.
 photo by Robbie Johnson
41st Annual State Forestry Contest
Hundreds of students battled to be the best in log measurement, tree and plant identification, and determining timber volume on Thursday, May 9 at the 41st Annual Idaho State Forestry Contest. About 200 students, 50 coaches/chaperones and 125+ volunteers participated at the contest held at Farragut State Park in north Idaho.
The contest is for students in grades 5 through 12 to compete for scholarships and cash prizes in basic forestry and resource management. The contest is typically held the second Thursday in May and is sponsored by the Idaho Department of Lands, Bonner Soil and Water Conservation District and the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and hosted by the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation.
Superintendent of Public Instruction and State Board of Land Commissioner Debbie Critchfield helped hand out awards and addressed the competitors who may one day be Idaho foresters. “More than $60 million was distributed to Idaho public schools last year, coming from money earned from managing endowment land and investments. And the land revenue comes mainly from Idaho Department of Lands timber sales,” Critchfield said. “Where I live in the Magic Valley, we are not the ones producing the timber, it is up here. Thank you for what your communities do to contribute to the state endowment fund and a strong economy in Idaho.”
“It’s hard to measure the impact all of these student competitors have had on Idaho as we continue to grow, protect, enjoy and sustainably harvest our timber resources,” said Idaho Department of Lands Director Dustin Miller. “We want to thank the countless participants, schools and volunteers over the years for their commitment to this contest.”
 Competitor measuring a log - photo by Robbie Johnson
 IDL volunteers at the State Forestry Contest - photo by Robbie Johnson
Wildfire Risk Forum
On Monday, April 29, Director Miller participated in the Wildfire Risk Forum panel discussion regarding Community Action, Stakeholder Engagement, Resilience retrofits and Federal Funding.
The forum was hosted by the Idaho Department of Insurance at the National Interagency Fire Center.
As part of the event, Governor Little proclaimed May as Idaho’s Wildfire Awareness Month minutes before the ignition of a wildfire demonstration. The burn featured a side-by-side look at fire behavior and showed the importance of immediate defensible space, comparing a fire-ready vs. not fire-ready structure.
 Governor proclaiming May Wildfire Awareness Month- photo by Robbie Johnson
 Director Miller participating in a Wildfire Forum panel discussion - photo by Jennifer Russell
 Wildfire demonstration- photo by Robbie Johnson
Community Meeting Regarding Island Park
On Friday, Director Miller, Division Administrator of Operations Michele Andersen, Roger Hall, Ryan Woodland and Heath Hancock participated in a meeting regarding authorized glamping operations on endowment land in the Island Park area with local community members and district legislators. IDL initiated this meeting.
Local concerns over leasing land for these types of commercial recreation operations have prompted additional engagement between IDL and the Island Park community to ensure our constitutional mandate is understood, but also the concerns of the community are heard. IDL will continue to work with the community to address concerns with the 2024 land use permit and any future glamping leases.
New Monthly Endowment Timber Update on IDL Social Media
Thank you to IDL's Lands Section Manager - Timber Sales and Contract Administrator Jeremy Shawver for leading the release of the new monthly Endowment Timber Update on social media. This puts into context IDL’s excellent work in forest management and its far-reaching positive impacts. It also aligns partners with our outreach and messaging. Jeremy will be providing the information each month. This will secure support and understanding of IDL’s mission. For now, we are posting this on IDL social media, but it will likely evolve from here.
IDL Encroachment Permit Workshop
The IDL's North Ops Navigable Waterways team presented a workshop to help people understand what a complete encroachment permit requires.
This most recent workshop was held on Tuesday, May 7, at the Selkirk Association of Realtors office in Sandpoint.
The North Ops team held two dock builder application workshops in February, one at the Pend Oreille Supervisory Area, the other was at the Mica Supervisory Area.
More Great Photos
Here are a few more photos from the State Forestry Contest. Thank you Robbie Johnson.
     
In Case You Missed It
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