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The Mississippi Forestry
Commission is conducting a statewide forest assessment and resource strategy
in response to a section of the 2008 Farm Bill, which refers to the process
of “redesigning” how federal funding is provided to states forestry agencies
carrying out particular forestry programs on privately owned forestland. The
Forestry Commission utilizes these funds to support a number of forestry
programs, including technical forestry assistance to rural and urban
landowners, enhancing wildfire protection efforts, and supporting forest
health programs that address insects, diseases and non-native invasive
species that are affecting the health and productivity of Mississippi’s
forestland.
The purpose of a redesigned
USDA Forest Service State & Private Forestry (S&PF) is to shape and
influence forestland use on a scale and in a way that optimizes public
benefits from trees and forests for both current and future generations,
according to a USDA Forest Service presentation about the Redesign process.
The Redesign Implementation Committee is a national group providing
development and recommendation guidance of the redesign process being
implemented by state forestry agencies. The S&PF Redesign is a response to
increasing pressures on our nation’s forests and a decrease in resource
funds. The Redesign process also came about because of a need for better
partnerships on projects and better program integration. Implementing more
progressive management strategies and programs, combined with focusing
resources on forest issues and landscapes, will better address the needs of
threatened forests across the country.
As a part of the Redesign
process and required by an amendment to the Cooperative Forestry Assistance
Act (CFAA), as enacted in the 2008 Farm Bill, each state is required to
complete a State Assessment and Resource Strategy by June 2010. There are
three components to the assessment and planning strategy: Forest Resource
Assessment, Forest Resource Strategy, and an annual report explaining how
federal funds have been utilized.
Forest Resource Assessment
The Mississippi Forest
Resource Assessment will include qualitative, quantitative, geospatial, and
non-geospatial data to identify priorities and complete the assessment. The
assessment will include:
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An analysis of present
and future forest conditions and trends
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Forest issues including
threats, benefits, and services
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Future opportunities for
forest resources and priority forest landscapes
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Priority rural and urban
forest landscapes
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Multi-State or regional
priority areas
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A review of existing
statewide natural resource plans
Forest Resource Strategy
Mississippi’s Forest Resource
Strategy will provide a long-term, comprehensive, coordinated strategy for
investing state, federal, and other resources to the management of priority
landscapes as identified in the forest assessment. The strategy will also
include the following components:
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Outline long-term
strategies for addressing priority landscapes identified in the Forest
Resource Assessment while following the three National Themes (Conserve
Working Forest Lands, Protect Forests from Harm, and Enhance Public
Benefits from Trees and Forests)
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Describe how the state
proposes to invest funding to address forest management objectives
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Include long-term
timeline for projects and program implementation
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Identify partner and
stakeholder involvement
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Identify strategies for
monitoring outcomes
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Describe how the state’s
proposed activities will accomplish USDA Forest Service State and
Private Forestry program objectives
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Describe how State and
Private Forestry programs will be used to address priority landscape and
management objective
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Incorporate existing
statewide natural resource plans
Annual Report on Use of
Funds
This report will describe how
Mississippi used all of the S&PF program funds throughout a fiscal year. The
report will also describe specific actions taken throughout the year to
address the state assessment and resource strategy. The annual report will
also include a comprehensive budget with contributions from all federal,
state, and nongovernmental partners.
Additional Information
For additional information about
the national direction of the State and Private Forestry program and the
Redesign initiative, go to
www.fs.fed.us/spf/redesign/index.shtml . |
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