# Presentation: 461053

## The Sustainable Forests Partnership

- Bill Hubbard
- Southern Regional Extension Forester
- Asheville, NC
- September 12, 2005

## Mission

*...**.to document and promote innovation in sustainable forestry and integrate this innovation broadly into both policy and practice.*

## The SFP engages an expanding network of partners including university faculty, industry experts, non-government organization representatives, government agencies, and individuals to:

- Identify key sustainable forestry issues and trends
- Design and conduct sustainable forestry research
- Develop education and training materials and events
- Provide assistance services to organizations and individuals interested in sustainable forestry issues

## Sustainable Forestry Partnership (SFP) Origin

- 1995 grant from the John D. and Catherine T MacArthur Foundation.
- Purpose: Create a partnership to better understand the emerging topic of sustainable forestry.

## “Original” SFP National Structure

- Associate Directors from SFP Universities
- Oregon State University
- Penn State University
- Auburn University
- Communications Specialist
- Penn State University
- CSREES National Program Leader

## Partner Benefits

- Stimulate discussions around sustainability issues and approaches
- Increase recognition and competitiveness for funding and recruiting
- Build institutional capacity and student opportunities through shared academic resources
- Foster internal and external collegiality
- Risk spread across institutions rather than a single institution

## Partner Responsibilities

- Establish and maintain a local partnership core team and coordinator
- Replicate and share sustainable forest management innovations with SFP partners and others
- Facilitate an exchange of ideas, students and staff with other SFP partners through research, teaching and outreach projects
- Meet at least annually with other SFP partners

## Early SFP Programs

- Case Studies
- Ecosystem Management Workshop
- Special Forest Products seminars
- Forest Certification presentations
- National conference on sustainable forestry opportunities.

## Why Case Studies?

- Allow analysis of impacts over time and at various spatial scales.
- Ability to integrate environmental, economic and social factors.
- Real world scenarios make great learning tools for practitioners and university students.

## Documenting Forestry InnovationsCase Studies

- 16 sustainable forestry business case studies
- Worldwide coverage
- Innovative policies and practices

## Other National Partnership Projects

- Forest Fragmentation Survey & Teaching Materials
- NCSSF (National Commission on Science for Sustainable Forestry 2002 Science Programs) National Forest Biodiversity Assessment, 2002-2003
- Roundtable on Sustainable Forests
- 	--2 SFP Associate Directors are Co-Chairs
- 	--Multiple Perspectives Paper on the 2003 Sustainable Forests Report
- Virtual Forest Tours
- SFM Curriculum Development

## Virtual Tours

- Explore what sustainability means to different people and at different scales using the Montreal Process in order to describe three systems:
- Public land in the Coast Range of western Oregon
- Private land in the south central Alabama
- Tree Farm in northwest Pennsylvania
- Understand how forest practices and policy tools affect sustainability
- Supported by grants from CSREES and the Society of American Foresters; CFE Credits are available online

## Welcome to our discussion of sustainable forestry

- Oregon:
- Western hemlock /
- Douglas-fir Forest

- Alabama:
- Loblolly/Shortleaf Pine Forest

- Pennsylvania:
- Maple/Beech/
- Birch Forest

- http://www.cof.orst.edu/net/workshop/virtour3/WEBSITE/

## National Curriculum Project

- National Project Advisory Committee
- Pre-conference focus groups
- Kansas City Curriculum Conference – 2001
- Development of a national curriculum proposal
- Funded by US-EPA, Doris Duke Foundation, Merck Family Fund

## National Curriculum Project

- Continued Curriculum Proposal
- 			(USDA Challenge Grant)
- Graduate/undergraduate course
- Regional and international modules
- Web-based discussion for students
- Diverse faculty within institutions
- Additional Partners:  Cornell University, Michigan State University, Northern Arizona University, Utah State University, and University of Vermont

## Lessons Learned About Partnering In and With the University Community

- Oregon State University Lessons
- Faculty interest stimulated through relationships and invitations
- Growth happens through projects
- Now 11 Departments and 26 Core Team Members
- Modest investments leverage faculty energy
- Blur the distinction between research and extension
- Identified coordinating leader is key

## Lessons Learned About Partnering In and With the University Community

- Auburn University Lessons Learned
- Complements the Forest Policy Center which is funded through an endowment
- Complements the Center for Forest Sustainability – an AU Peak of Excellence
- Should reach out to other campus programs interested in sustainability (Sustainability Task Force)
- Administration demands a significant amount of a faculty member’s time and energy; 1⁄2 time extension associate would pay good dividends

## Lessons Learned About Partnering In and With the University Community

- Penn State University Lessons Learned
- Finding progressive faculty to partner with can be challenging
- Funded projects create interest
- Projects lead to new relationships (inter- and intra-institutions)
- When you have meaningful work you can find people to partner with

## Expansion Meeting – May 2005

- List of potential partners increased
- Numerous additional universities invited to participate
- 16 in attendance
- All agreed to pursue expansion of the Sustainable Forests Partnership
- Interim Leadership Team developing strategic plan and working documents

## Issues (Southern) Identified at Expansion meeting

- Demographic and structural forestland ownership changes
- Shorter rotations desired by TIMO owners/longer rotations desired by others
- Urban sprawl
- Forest health
- Invasive species
- Biosecurity

## Issues (Southern) Identified at Expansion meeting

- Global competition, changing markets
- Endangered species (i.e. RCW and IBW)
- Wildfire and fire management issues
- Certification
- Maintaining forest and ecosystem services
- Water quality and quantity impacts
- NIPF education

## Issues (Southern) Identified at Expansion meeting

- Global climate change
- Biomass/bioenergy/biofuels/biochemicals
- Local forest management ordinances and the right to practice forest management
- Biodiversity
- Recreational pressures

## Current Opportunities (Southern) Identified at Expansion meeting

- Human dimensions initiatives are increasing
- USDA FS Research and Technology Transfer Center on UF Campus in Gainesville, FL
- Sustainable forestry initiative at NCSU/Duke/NCDOF and another one at Auburn
- Southern Forest Research Partnership
- Southern Regional Extension Forestry

## Opportunities (Southern) Identified at Expansion meeting

- Increase in fire ecology programs
- Changing undergraduate and graduate curriculums

## Future Needs (Southern) Identified at Expansion meeting

- SFRA and WUI report/book need to be utilized to their fullest extents
- Regional competitive grants programs
- RREA (Renewable Resources Extension Act)
- Identify gaps in knowledge/research
- Establish more regional centers for excellence
- Support SFRP and SREF
- More distance education/regional collaborations

## Accessing the SFP Network

- Auburn University
- Dick Brinker, _[brinkrw@auburn.edu](mailto:brinkrw@auburn.edu)__, (334) 844-1004_
- Mathew Smidt, _[smidtmf@auburn.edu](mailto:smidtmf@auburn.edu)__, (334) 844-1038_
- Oregon State University
- Scott Reed, _[scott.reed@oregonstate.edu](mailto:scott.reed@oregonstate.edu)__, (541) 737-1728_
- Leon Liegel, _[leon.liegel@oregonstate.edu](mailto:leon.liegel@oregonstate.edu)__, (541)737-4991_
- Rick Fletcher, _[rick.fletcher@oregonstate.edu](mailto:rick.fletcher@oregonstate.edu)__, (541) 766-3554_
- Penn State University
- Jim Finley, _[jfinley@psu.edu](mailto:jfinley@psu.edu)__, (814) 863-0401_
- Laurie Schoonhoven, _[lms28@psu.edu](mailto:lms28@psu.edu)__, (814) 865-7932_
- CSREES
- Eric Norland, _[enorland@csrees.usda.gov](mailto:enorland@csrees.usda.gov)__, (202) 401-5971_
- Visit our web site:
- http://sfp.cas.psu.edu