- • participants highlighted the importance of networking within the agency in • participants highlighted the importance of networking within the agency in order to support learning. They suggested bringing teams together centered on particular resource concerns or planning challenges, convening monthly meetings to address particular issues, and creating a directory of forest planning staff across the country, including information of individual’s specialties. Developing communities of practice would support dissemination of innovations.
- • from forests who are undergoing later plan revisions could shadow earlier • from forests who are undergoing later plan revisions could shadow earlier forest planning efforts in their regions in order to develop direct experience with the process and its associated challenges. Participants noted that there is no substitute for firsthand experience with forest planning. Workshop attendees also noted that a mentoring website could help connect more experienced planners and resource specialists with those beginning the process.
- • structures, such as early adopter phone calls and SharePoint sites, also present • structures, such as early adopter phone calls and SharePoint sites, also present valuable opportunities to share ideas.
- • suggested the agency devote time to learning and make it a priority. • suggested the agency devote time to learning and make it a priority.
- • workshop participants highlighted the value of having FACA committee • workshop participants highlighted the value of having FACA committee members participate in the workshop and see this as an opportunity for future guidance.
- • workshop participants said detailers have been helpful for forest planners. In • workshop participants said detailers have been helpful for forest planners. In addition, “quick-strike teams” or a “planning cadre” could be leveraged to provide targeted support to forests undergoing plan revision.
- • participants suggested the need to aggregate valuable information in one • participants suggested the need to aggregate valuable information in one place. Individuals noted that SharePoint sites could enable the dissemination of information. Other participants suggested the need for a library of valuable documents and information.

Workshop attendees were mainly planning staff, and several participants noted the importance of line officers learning about the planning process. Participants noted that it is especially integral to educate forest supervisors and rangers who are new to the role or who have little experience with forest planning. Participants felt that it would be valuable for these individuals to better understand the decision-space, what resources they can provide, and how to overcome existing barriers. Some planners suggested it was their job to educate their line officers, but regional staff noted that this is also an area where they have a significant role and responsibility.

Ultimately, the workshops yielded a rich compendium of ideas that forests undergoing plan revision may apply. In concluding the workshop, participants shared new approaches and techniques that they intended to try out on their forests. These ideas suggest active efforts by workshop participants to learn from one another and innovate their approaches to forest planning. Several notable ideas included:

- • ID team meetings to the public to increase transparency with stakeholders. A • ID team meetings to the public to increase transparency with stakeholders. A representative from the Nantahala-Pisgah National Forest originally shared this idea.
- • the factors of success triangle to focus planning team on the issues that really • the factors of success triangle to focus planning team on the issues that really matter and avoid distractions. Washington Office staff presented this idea in an introductory presentation to the workshop.
- • early, particularly on wilderness inventories, selecting SCCs, and project • early, particularly on wilderness inventories, selecting SCCs, and project management.
- • using jargon to improve communication with stakeholders. • using jargon to improve communication with stakeholders.