1. New Currency of Conservation Conference May 20, 2005 The USDA Forest Service and Nature’s Services Keeping Forests in Forests Peter J. Roussopoulos, Acting Deputy Chief for State and Private Forestry

2. USDA FS Motive Keeping Forests in Forests: Focusing on Private Lands—Family Forests Maintaining service flows to the public

3. Current FS Work Update Conferences/Speeches Conferences/Speeches Expanding Research Expanding Research Texas Pilot Project Texas Pilot Project Ecosystem Marketplace (www.ecosystemmarketplace.com) Ecosystem Marketplace (www.ecosystemmarketplace.com)www.ecosystemmarketplace.com Ecosystem Services Weblog (www.ecosystemservices.usda.gov) Ecosystem Services Weblog (www.ecosystemservices.usda.gov)www.ecosystemservices.usda.gov Focus Groups Focus Groups

4. Focus Group Purpose Focus Group Purpose Listen to diverse stakeholder opinions and ideas Listen to diverse stakeholder opinions and ideas Engage partners in initial discussions about the FS role and potential activities Engage partners in initial discussions about the FS role and potential activities Support the development of a work plan Support the development of a work plan Advance FS knowledge of ecosystem services and key challenges Advance FS knowledge of ecosystem services and key challenges

5. Focus Group Selection FS team contacted ~250 interested parties on this topic by email and phone FS team contacted ~250 interested parties on this topic by email and phone Experts, innovative thinkers, and active organizations were identified and asked to participate in focus groups Experts, innovative thinkers, and active organizations were identified and asked to participate in focus groups 8-12 participants in 3 regional focus groups (29 total participants) 8-12 participants in 3 regional focus groups (29 total participants) Other interested parties remain engaged through listserv and weblog (www.ecosystemservices.usda.gov) Other interested parties remain engaged through listserv and weblog (www.ecosystemservices.usda.gov)www.ecosystemservices.usda.gov

6. Focus Group Design 2 main questions 2 main questions What few areas should the FS focus its energy on to advance ecosystem service markets? What few areas should the FS focus its energy on to advance ecosystem service markets? Roles Roles Activities Activities 4-5 opportunities for development 4-5 opportunities for development What are some of the challenges the agency may face? What are some of the challenges the agency may face?

7. Overall Themes and Advice: FS Activities and Roles Representation and Communication Develop an aggressive marketing and promotion plan Develop an aggressive marketing and promotion plan Craft terminology and messages for varying audiences Craft terminology and messages for varying audiences Conduct market analysis to determine public values and demands Conduct market analysis to determine public values and demands Support conservation education Support conservation education

8. Overall Themes and Advice: FS Activities and Roles Overall Themes and Advice: FS Activities and Roles (2) Engagement Enable/Draft new legislation and authorities; revamp existing conservation incentive programs Enable/Draft new legislation and authorities; revamp existing conservation incentive programs Act as a convener, bring together: Act as a convener, bring together: Key stakeholders for a “futuring” process Key stakeholders for a “futuring” process Agencies for shared understanding and better collaboration and delivery of services Agencies for shared understanding and better collaboration and delivery of services Various partners, potential buyers and sellers, and interested parties Various partners, potential buyers and sellers, and interested parties Look to the Farm Bill as a potential vehicle Look to the Farm Bill as a potential vehicle Jump start markets with seed money or regulation Jump start markets with seed money or regulation

9. Overall Themes and Advice: FS Activities and Roles Overall Themes and Advice: FS Activities and Roles (3) Creation Conduct Research Conduct Research Assessment and monitoring Assessment and monitoring Modeling and projecting Modeling and projecting Social sciences—understanding public opinions and values Social sciences—understanding public opinions and values Systems understanding (cause/effect) Systems understanding (cause/effect) Identify hot spots or priority areas on the landscape Identify hot spots or priority areas on the landscape Conduct market analysis to understand trends and demand Conduct market analysis to understand trends and demand Demonstrate to learn—pilot projects and case studies Demonstrate to learn—pilot projects and case studies

10. Overall Themes and Advice: Challenges Money Money Interagency collaboration in an effective manner Interagency collaboration in an effective manner Education—communicating the value of conservation to a growing urban public Education—communicating the value of conservation to a growing urban public Terminology—picking the right words Terminology—picking the right words Competing land values continue to rise Competing land values continue to rise Time is of the essence Time is of the essence Re-tooling existing programs and resources to make this work—who will give up what? Re-tooling existing programs and resources to make this work—who will give up what? Making it simple for landowners to understand and participate Making it simple for landowners to understand and participate

11. Overall Themes and Advice FS Leadership Diverse opinions about how much or what type of leadership Diverse opinions about how much or what type of leadership FS can use this to re-establish itself as the leader in conservation—redefine the Agency FS can use this to re-establish itself as the leader in conservation—redefine the Agency FS could be a “silent leader”—act as convener and facilitator FS could be a “silent leader”—act as convener and facilitator There is potential to use NFS lands and land management to stimulate markets by serving as a land-based insurance bank to private landowners There is potential to use NFS lands and land management to stimulate markets by serving as a land-based insurance bank to private landowners

12. What’s Next for the FS? Digestion of information Digestion of information Install Agency structure Install Agency structure Development of a two-year work plan Development of a two-year work plan Active listening and adaptive management Active listening and adaptive management

13. Draft Agency Structure All related activities report to the Deputy Chief for State & Private Forestry (currently Pete Roussopoulos) All related activities report to the Deputy Chief for State & Private Forestry (currently Pete Roussopoulos) Co-Lead—Director of Cooperative Forestry (Larry Payne) Co-Lead—Director of Cooperative Forestry (Larry Payne) Deputy Chief Appointed Advisory/Oversight Team: Deputy Chief Appointed Advisory/Oversight Team: Coordinated by Dave Cleaves Coordinated by Dave Cleaves S&PF—Steve Marshall, Karen Solari S&PF—Steve Marshall, Karen Solari R&D—Tom Crow, Linda Langer R&D—Tom Crow, Linda Langer NFS—Anne Zimmerman, Susan Yonts-Shepard, Chuck Myers NFS—Anne Zimmerman, Susan Yonts-Shepard, Chuck Myers Business Operations—Bill Helin Business Operations—Bill Helin PL&C—Mike Murphy, Steve Hart PL&C—Mike Murphy, Steve Hart International Programs—Alex Moad International Programs—Alex Moad

14. Draft Agency Structure Five Work Groups Five Work Groups Policy Policy Evaluate Existing Evaluate Existing New Opportunities New Opportunities Science and Technology Science and Technology Water Water Biodiversity/Habitat Loss Biodiversity/Habitat Loss Carbon Carbon Communications and Outreach Communications and Outreach Marketing Marketing Education Education Place-based Learning Place-based Learning Pilot projects Pilot projects Synthesis and Integration Synthesis and Integration Across work groups Across work groups Support Team Support Team

15. Conclusions The FS is excited and committed The FS is excited and committed Current motive is on keeping forests in forests, and focuses on family forests Current motive is on keeping forests in forests, and focuses on family forests The FS wants to be as inclusive as possible The FS wants to be as inclusive as possible Open for comments and suggestions Open for comments and suggestions