Gary Goff, Sr. Extension Associate Peter Smallidge, NY Extension Forester, Sr. Extension Associate Thanks to: Jerry Andritz, NYS DEC Roger Monthey, US Forest Service Cornell Cooperative Extension’s role in natural resource management: a case study

Issues Addressed USFS and DEC, need to ensure that forest stewardship plans prepared with their funding: Are useful Meet standards Achieve uniformity Are prepared efficiently Reach “under-served” audiences

History Private forest owners who participate in federally funded programs must have plans prepared by foresters. Result: Too few plans met standards Foresters felt unduly encumbered Poor rate of complete plan implementation Few plans written, except where cost reimbursement was available F.S. training workshops couldn’t reach enough foresters

Cooperative Extension’s Unique Role Reputation as unbiased and apolitical Good record in developing and delivering educational programs Could bring together forest owners, educators, and foresters Can teach new technologies and resources for plan preparation Can maintain availability of program deliverables over time

Program Objectives Improve the long-term management of private forest lands Improve the quality of plans and efficiency of plan preparers Help ensure that state and federal programs reach all forest owning publics Strengthen partnerships between DEC foresters, consultant foresters, and CCE educators and volunteers

Program Outline Underlying Methodology: Create forums where participants: critique stewardship plans cooperatively devise, learn, and acquire writing skills access information resources First Step: Establish and engage steering committee and regional advisory teams: state and private-sector foresters CCE educators forest owner volunteers

Program Outline cont’d. Program Implementation and Deliverables: Create stewardship webpage Establish, train, and empower regional advisory teams Regional teams interact locally Workshops for foresters Bulletin for educators

Forester Workshop Series Agenda Reports from the Regional Advisory Teams Overcoming barriers Effective communications: “How to” exercises Review and critique of sample plans Introduction to F.S. “StewPlan” Tour of Stewardship Webpage Reaching under-served audiences Evaluation

Workshop Evaluation 102 total foresters, CCE educators, and forest owners attended Attendees annually work with 9,000 forest owners who own/manage 300,000 acres All participants indicated that they: were more aware of the value of plans know the expected standards will be able to write better plans will promote the use of plans will be able to use new tools and technologies will prepare 15% more plans in 2003

Quotable Quotes “One thing you did right was to host this course. That in itself encourages plan preparation” “Informative, educational, offered more and new resources” “The writing workshop was very helpful” “Plan critique continues to be a good educational intervention” “Need more on silviculture!”

What we learned as educators 1.Cooperative Extension as a “third party” was able to engage tough crowd 4. Regional teams are now “established” for additional programming. 3.The County CCE Educators were both willing and capable of assisting with a “peripheral” topic 2.The Master Forest Owner Volunteers were key in providing insight to the process