assessment at different times for public input instead of the entire document. This strategy engages the public throughout the process, while reducing the amount of reading material and comments received for each section.

Several forests noted that the pre-assessment time period was critical to getting teams ready for the assessment. They said that the pre-assessment phase allows teams to take stock of information available, which increases the efficiency and strategic nature of the process. This could include developing a SCC list prior to beginning assessments. One national forest leveraged public engagement to develop their SCC list. The forest solicited comments on best available science and data gaps related to a preliminary SCC list, the criteria for developing it, and species that the public felt were important species of conservation concern. Pre-assessment work could also include conducting a rapid stakeholder assessment to set the stage for public involvement and inform the assessment phase; the Grand Mesa Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests did this.

Region 3 said that it is important to develop some level of a standardized process for the assessment phase with strong support from the regional office. A standardized process with common data sets, terminology, products, and processes across all the forests in the region helps individual forests learn from what others have already done.

#### 3.2.2 Innovations

One forest proposed convening a Delphi panel during the pre-assessment phase. A Delphi panel is a systematic forecasting technique composed of a panel of specialists and used to build consensus. The forest’s panel would consist of experts and representatives from local, state, and tribal government. The panel would discuss the 15 assessment topics reviewing known information and data gaps, helping to frame the assessment phase. The person from this forest thought the Delphi panel could help craft a more efficient, focused assessment phase.

A planner from the Rio Grande National Forest stated that they created executive summaries for each piece of the assessment; they said these summaries were effective tools for engaging the public. Each executive summary reviewed and delineated the need for assessment and change according to assessment topic. Another strategy mentioned was to develop a main assessment document and offer more detailed information used for decision-making in appendices.

Region 5 shared several innovative approaches to the assessment phase. A science synthesis was completed to establish a solid base of scientific information for the assessment phase. Region 5 partnered with the Pacific Southwest Research Station to increase resources and capacity. The science synthesis included a conversation with the public in order to determine what the most important science-based questions were that needed to be answered in order to develop assessments. This synthesis became the underpinning of both the bioregional assessment that Region 5 conducted, and for the individual forest assessments.

Early adopter forests in Region 5 used a Wiki to engage their public in the process of drafting a “living assessment” that the public could access and edit. This allowed the public to help improve and develop the draft and also showed the public how their comments were considered and addressed in subsequent drafts. Editing was conducted with strict rules enforced by a content manager. A planner noted that the public was still not very familiar with Wiki documents and