Challenges of Forest Challenges of Forest Governance: Governance: A Perspective from the A Perspective from the United States United States Sally Collins Associate Chief, U.S. Forest Service
Jan 12, 2016
Challenges of Forest Governance: Challenges of Forest Governance:
A Perspective from the United A Perspective from the United StatesStates
Sally CollinsAssociate Chief,
U.S. Forest Service
U.S. family
Government publication, 1930s:
“Forestry and Permanent Prosperity”
Changing values/landscapes
“Make love, not lumber”
--1970s protest sign
Wilderness Act, 1964
National Environmental Policy Act, 1969
National Forest Management Act, 1976
etc.…
Hard times
TV, Internet, i-Pods, videogames, chatrooms, MySpace …
Declining forest health
Second family
77% of forestland worldwide is under government control
Deforestation/erosion
Global market for wood
Value added(e.g., China)
Raw log suppliers(e.g., Indonesia)
End consumers(e.g., U.S.)
Climate change
0123456789
10
1965 1975 1985 1995 2006
Area burned, United States
(millions of acres)
Rural poverty
Forestland ownershipUnited States
33%
9%
58%
Federal
State/local
Individual/firm
Worldwide
77%
11%
12%
Government
Community/indigenous
Individual/firm
Children’s connection to nature
Loss of ecosystem services(per Millennium Ecosystem Assessment)
Type of service Global status
Fresh water
Capture fisheries
Wild foods
Genetic resources
Air quality regulation
Erosion control
Water purification
Pollination
etc.
Global interdependence
Global climate change
Global resourcedegradation
(loss of ecosystem services)
Global markets for wood
Global poverty
Aldo Leopold
“That land is a community is the basic concept of ecology,
but that land is to be loved and respected is an extension
of ethics.”
Aldo Leopold Wilderness, New Mexico
Relationships to the land
“We abuse land because we regard it as a commodity belonging to us. When we see land as a community to which we belong, we may begin
to use it with love and respect.”
--Leopold, A Sand County Almanac (1949)
Millennium Ecosystem Assessment
Forest governance
Relationships are key
Global forestry
U.S. Forest Service technical assistance programs in sustainable forestry
U.S. forest landownership
33%
8%
1%
58%
Federal govt
State govt
Local govt
Private
Strengthening relationships
Where should our focus be?
““For people to work for For people to work for conservation, conservation,
conservation must work conservation must work for people”for people”