 USDA Under Secretary spends the day with MFRC
On November 29, 2018, Jim Hubbard, Under Secretary for Natural Resources, met with leaders from the Minnesota forestry community to review an array of collaborative efforts that have developed over the past 20 plus years in Minnesota through the coordination work of the MFRC. Two sessions were held with an array of forestry leaders in the state, the first focused on the work by the Council’s Research Advisory Committee and the second on the work of the Landscape Program and regional committees to facilitate landscape level management. The Under Secretary for Natural Resources has direct oversight over the US Forest Service.
MFRC Research Advisory Committee Session
This session provided the Under Secretary with an overview of the Research Advisory Committee purpose and structure; priority research issues in MN and forestry information needs; commonalities with USFS initiatives; and discussion on development of a regional research cooperative.
Most of the meeting attendees were affiliated with the RAC, but we were fortunate to also have some key staff attend from WI DNR and participate. Rob Slesak provided a broad overview of resource conditions in the state, background on the need for science-based management, and an overview of the research prioritization process and its value in achieving sustainable forest management in MN. RAC members were able to share their views of the RAC process, and key research needs and issues specific to their institutions. Under Secretary Hubbard was very engaged throughout the meeting and shared his perspective on how our work in Minnesota could potentially integrate and inform the shared stewardship initiative of the Forest Service. The meeting closed with some great discussion on the value and need for a regional research cooperative among the lake states (MN, WI, and MI) to address shared research needs common to forest resources management. Everyone was supportive of the idea, and the MFRC will continue efforts to engage key entities to make the cooperative a reality. Overall, the meeting was a great success and allowed us to highlight the unique and innovative way we go about addressing forest resource information needs in Minnesota.
Shared Stewardship Session
The second session described how Shared Stewardship fits into Minnesota’s overall management approach and the new Arrowhead Project. Partners shared information about Minnesota’s approaches to outcome-based strategies across all land ownerships.
The group discussed the USDA’s Shared Stewardship initiative and the foundational work Minnesota has done over the past twenty years in landscape level management. Minnesota's longtime practice of landscape planning and coordination assists private landowners and public land managers work together to develop a comprehensive vision that balances the many interests on our forests with the long term need to ensure resilient and productive forests for the future. The regional committees work to coordinate the implementation of the landscape plans on an ongoing basis.
Forrest Boe and Connie Cummins described the new collaborative project in Northeastern Minnesota, the "Arrowhead Pilot Project”, where managers are working together to plan and coordinate vegetation management on a cross boundary basis on a 500,000 acre mixed land ownership area in northwestern St Louis County. This project will help in treating more acres as well as more efficient use of forest resources in this area. This project is an effort that MFRC is coordinating alongside State, Federal, and County lands managers. It requires that we view ecosystems and restoration in a way that improves efficiency and effectiveness of restoration treatments by allowing for more diverse funding sources, involve stakeholder buy in, and synchronizing activities across all landowner ownerships.
At this session, the group also talked about opportunities we have in Minnesota for investment in our forests and partnerships to achieve this balance approach to "all land" management. Increasing pace and scale of forest management has a very important value for economics, habitat, water quality, and the many important benefits our forests provide us each day. In wrapping up the session, the Under Secretary remarked on the great progress that the Minnesota forestry community has made over the past two decades on developing and implementing landscape scale approaches.
Conclusion
The day-long event with the Under Secretary Hubbard was a great success. Discussions over the day resulted in an increased awareness about the work of the Council and its programs.
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