Stewardship Project: Status Update

1. The Stewardship Project:Status UpdateNAASF Summer MeetingJuly 12-15, 2009Stowe, VTLisa AllenState Forester, Missouri

2. Stewardship Project: Status Update • Today’s presentation: • Recap of the case for change • Status report • Next steps • Possible models of future delivery • Questions

3. Stewardship Project: Status Update Why are we here? What’s driving this project? • The Stewardship Program has looked the same for 16 years: • Results: • Touched the land in a quality way, and made a difference where we’ve done so; but • Results are too modest with only 8% of landowners “enrolled” – Kathy’s 175 year problem! • Shotgun approach does not achieve landscape scale impacts

4. Stewardship Project: Status Update Why are we here? What’s driving this project? • Threats & pressures increasing – • Resources and capacities decreasing – many states have expressed limited capacity to deliver full blown stewardship plans • “Change or die” is probably NOT an exaggeration as the current Stewardship Program has received Congressional Criticism • We can’t do it alone – we must build partnerships

5. Stewardship Project: Status Update • 2008 NAASF Meeting – Project Supported • CFM Committee charged with “fleshing out” project with Mark’s leadership and State Forester Liaison’s support

6. Stewardship Project: Status Update • Basic principles • Strong CFM engagement • Importance of relationship with NAASF • Flexibility • New metrics • First – identify and build on existing success

7. Stewardship Project Update From Road Map To Project Plan

8. Stewardship Project Update From Road Map: (February 09) • Hit the Road ….. and Retail Meeting landowners where they are…and shop Working in partnership with green-minded corporations • Exponential Growth through Constituencies and Partnerships Issue-driven, landscape scale outreach and constituency building Multiple plans serving a common purpose • Landscape-focused Forest Stewardship Planning One plan – many landowners Implementation, implementation, implementation

9. Stewardship Project Update Webinar was provided to CFM Coordinators to Introduce project. Interviews with all 20States Do you agree that change is needed? What barriers to change would you expect? What opportunities present themselves? What is the single most important change the program could make?

10. Stewardship Project Update Committee and Team Staffing • Executive Committee • Steering Committee • Project Team

11. Stewardship Project Update • Initiation Meeting in Manchester: April 2009 • How do we increase the reach and effectiveness of the Stewardship Program? • Brainstormed over 200 ideas for action • Products • Two Key Goals: • NIPF owners sustainably manage their woodlands • Beneficiaries of forest-based ecosystem services provide a socio-economic environment conducive to keeping forests as forests • Logic Chain Developed

12. Stewardship Project Update • To Logic Chain:

13. INCREASING THE REACH AND EFFECTIVENESS OF FOREST STEWARDSHIP Our goal is to sustain the health, productivity and diversity of the Nation’s privately-owned forestland such that it helps to meet the needs of current and future generations. Forest Stewardship can contribute to this goal by helping to “keep forests as forests” [as indicated by the rate of conversion of privately-owned forestland to other uses]. To help “keep forests as forests” we will facilitate the convergence of personal and societal benefits: Increase forestland owners’ awareness of opportunities and benefits of their woodlands and its management Gather and analyze NIPF owner information Develop targeted messages Landowners within priority forest areas are identified Audiences are stratified by ownership objectives Messages are developed by ownership objectives Employ targeted communication channels Assess change in landowner attitudes and decision-making behaviors Landowners’ communication channels are identified Existing communication channels are being leveraged New communication channels are developed and employed Cultivate corporate relationships Develop avenues for partnerships Research potential partners Build strategic relationships to facilitate program delivery Analyze opportunities and needs Identify spokespersons and gatekeepers Match opportunities with partnership interests and resources NIPF owners sustainably manage their woodlands [as indicated by the proportion of owners and priority acres under management], which requires that we: Enhance/Promote Personal Benefits Redeem value from partnerships Develop partnering messages Contribute to Marketing & Education Products Contribute to Financial Incentives Increase financial viability of NIPF lands Increase revenue opportunities Decrease ownership cost Market-based revenue options have been increased Management costs have been decreased Non-market-based revenue options have been increased Develop issue-based resource solutions within large geographic areas Tax liabilities have been decreased Priority forestland within assessment areas is identified Issue-based resource solutions have been developed Large scale assessments are completed Priority landscapes have been stratified by resource issues Develop/provide tools and resources to help forestland owners meet their needs Landscape level plans have been implemented Implement multi-owner landscape-scale plans Priority landscapes for multi-owner plans have been identified Number and area of NIPF tracts adopting stewardship principles are increased Prototype applications have been identified and benchmarked Template for landscape level multi-owner plans has been created Individual plan prospects within priority areas have been targeted Streamlined plan template has been implemented Streamline individual stewardship plan process Streamlined plan template has been developed Prototype applications have been identified and benchmarked Gather and analyze socio-demographic information Develop messages Public knowledge of and attitudes toward NIPF forest management in priority areas are evaluated Increase public knowledge of environmental, economic and social benefits of managed forests Issue and benefit-based messages are developed for specific media markets Assess effectiveness of public communications in key media markets Employ communication channels within target media markets Design communication products Existing communication channels are being leveraged Public communication channels within target media markets are identified New communication channels are developed and employed Gather and analyze decision-maker information Beneficiaries of forest-based ecosystem services provide a socio-economic environment conducive to keeping forests as forests [as indicated by trends in attitudes and actions], which requires that we: Develop targeted messages Key decision-makers within priority areas are identified Inform/educate decision-makers within priority landscapes Enhance/Promote Societal Benefits Improve local decision-makers’ capacity for resource conservation Personalized issue- and benefit-based messages are developed based on community issues and needs Assess effectiveness of targeted communications among decision-makers Decision-makers’ knowledge of and attitudes toward forest benefits are evaluated Existing communication channels with decision-makers are being leveraged New communication channels with decision-makers are developed and employed Communication channels with key decision-makers are identified Gather and analyze youth & volunteer information Facilitate educational programs and engagement opportunities Educate and engage youth and volunteers Youth and volunteer groups within priority areas are identified Youth programs are implemented Knowledge of and attitudes toward forest management are evaluated Volunteer opportunities are increased July 2009 January 2010 July 2010 January 2011 July 2011

14. Project Flow Chart • Timeline for Actions • Indentify Key Messages and Metrics • List of Workgroups and Assignments

15. Stewardship Project: Status Update • Next Steps • Executive Committee Endorsement – late July • Complete Project Plan • State Foresters identify CFM staffing for workgroups • Workgroups staffed and briefed • Workgroups start up – and begin by assessing existing relevant work in each workgroup area

16. Why Do We Keep Talking About Landscape Scale Planning? • Congress has told us that under the New Farm Bill – landscape scale projects are desirable • We can demonstrates measureable results for significant conservation themes • Helps us target priority forest landscapes with limited resources • Engages partners for a common purpose • A strategy to implement State-wide Forest Resource Assessments

23. Middle Meramec Conservation Opportunity Area Steve Westin

24. Comprehensive Wildlife Strategy Conservation Opportunity Areas

25. Middle Meramec COA

26. Meramec Watershed: 1.4 Million Acres Middle Meramec COA: 400,000 Acres

28. MMCOA Partnership • January 8, 2005 : Middle Meramec COA partnership first met to develop COA profile • Partners: • Conservation Department • USFS • USFWS • Ozark Regional Land Trust • TNC • American Bird Conservancy • State Parks • Conservation Federation of Missouri • Open Space Council • January 1, 2008: Hired Project Manager

29. Project Areas Dry Fork 100,000 Acres Shoal Creek 63,000 Acres

30. Two Habitat Initiative’s identified according to Strategies of the Partnership Dry Fork Riparian Initiative • Improve water quality • Protect and restore existing mussel and fish populations Shoal Creek Woodlands For Wildlife • Maintain and increase forested habitat for high-priority bird species • Conserve glades, fens and other natural communities • Conserve the forested landscape, aquatic resources, natural communities and species of conservation concern • Continue working to eradicate invasive species MDC Identified  Partnership  Agreement

31. Community Based Natural Resources Management (CBNRM)

32. Common Vision Statement Our Mission and Vision for “Shoal Creek Woodlands for Wildlife” is to improve the native plant and animal communities on public and private lands for people to enjoy today and into the future. We believe landowners want to make good land use choices and they should have a voice in shaping their conservation program. By working with each other and sharing knowledge, we can create a flexible and voluntary program that respects and reaches our common goals.

33. Conservation Marketing Definition • Conservation marketing is . . . • Planning approach • Designed for targeted customers • Solve their problems • Products and services they need, understand, and trust • Produces a “conservation profit.”

34. Seven Steps to Conservation Marketing Assignment from Assistant Director Dave Erickson 5/16/08 DCs ask UCT to select 2 COAs for development of a pilot marketing model. • Marketing Team • and Project Manager 7. Monitor/Evaluate/Adjust 2. Resource Inventories 6. Planning and Implementation 3. Market Research • How - 4 P’s • (Product, Price, Placement and Promotion) 4. Issues/Audiences/Messages Conservation marketing is a step-by-step planning process designed for targeted customers to solve their problems through products and services they need, understand, and trust that produces us with a “conservation profit.”

35. In a Nutshell, How Can Landscape Planning Work to Achieve Results? • Priority Forest Landscape • Common Concerns, Goals, Opportunities among stakeholders and partners • Landscape scale stewardship plan • Marketing – landowners • Marketing/Public Awareness • One on one technical assistance and project plans meeting landowner objectives • Incentives funded by partners/public • Cooperatives for Keeping Forests as Forests

36. Stewardship Project: Status Update Describing success • In 5 years, partners will be working together more closely than before to keep forests as forests; • Landowners and the public are taking actions together that promote forest sustainability.

37. Stewardship Project: Status Update Describing success: components may include: • Win-win corporate partnerships • Public outreach initiatives • Landowner outreach initiatives • Landowners taking greater advantage of opportunities, incentives

38. Stewardship Project: Status Update Describing success: components may include: • Decision makers making informed decisions at the township, municipality, county or other levels • Critical measures capture the results of this work • Implementation of State Forest Resource Strategies, focusing on landscape priorities and opportunities.

39. Stewardship Project: Status Update In closing….. • The case for change is real! • We are committed to making a change – and moving toward that change now. • State and CFM involvement in shaping the Program’s future is critical.

40. 2012 Questions? Keeping forests as forest …