Survey
* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
News of Spatial Interest April 21, 2008 In This Issue Open Space Strategy Open Space Links National Strategy Read the Forest Service Open Space Conservation Strategy. GAO Report A review and analysis of the increase in large fire suppression costs – and comments on the hazard of private forestland conversion. Fire Suppression Costs Examples of 2007 fire suppression costs in rural areas on the edge of National Forests. State & Private Forestry Regional office contacts. Discussion Post your comments about the strategy. Upcoming Issue Is Your Forest on the Edge? UNSUBSCRIBE To unsubscribe from the newsletter mailing list. Contact Us www.spatialinterest.info Volume 1, Number 2 Forest Service Open Space Strategy The USDA Forest Service published a National Open Space Conservation Strategy in late fall of 2007. The document, prepared with partners across the country, defines a vision for conservation in the 21st century: an interconnected network of open space across landscape that supports healthy ecosystems and a high quality of life for Americans. The timing of the published strategy followed an active 2007 fire season. Idaho received the dubious distinction of most acres burned for the year – 1.9 million out of a national total of 9.3 million acres. The high costs of fire suppression reinforced an earlier report (2006) by the Government Accounting Office that residential development adjacent to national forests causes a high proportion of large fire suppression costs. Fire related costs, over $1 billion a year, suppress other Forest Service program activities. The conservation strategy faces a resource challenge for implementation within the budget constraints of the Forest Service. The catch-22 is that the lack of funding will defer forest conservation activity, and land use conversion near national forests will very likely expand, contributing to further increases in private property hazards and the associated fire suppression costs. The first of four priority actions in the strategic plan is to convene partners to identify and protect priority open space. Land trusts have the potential to play a major role in a partnership to conserve privately owned forests. Timing and details of the implementation will vary by Forest Service Region, but all regions will follow the four general guides listed below. Ask State & Private Forestry in your region about implementation activities. Four Priority Actions to Guide Implementation Convene partners to identify and protect priority open space. Promote national policies and markets to help private landowners conserve open space. Provide resources and tools to help communities expand and connect open spaces. Participate in community growth planning to reduce ecological impacts and wildfire risk.