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Fire Management
The
US Forest Service cooperates with Brazil, Russia, Mexico
and Indonesia to better understand the influence of
fire on forest management and climate change, and to
incorporate fire mitigation strategies into forest management
systems.
AFRICA
Ghana:
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PRACTITIONER'S
TOOLBOX
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In
response to the nation's devastating fire season
in 2000, and with increased funding from the United
States Congress, the US Forest Service has been able to establish
a new National
Fire Plan. The plan will focus on identifying
and reducing fire risk, restoring and rehabilitating
burned areas, enhancing fire response readiness,
increasing community assistance and placing accountability.
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ASIA & THE PACIFIC
Indonesia:
LATIN AMERICA, CANADA, & THE CARIBBEAN
Brazil:
Bolivia:
Mexico:
RUSSIA, EUROPE, & NEAR ASIA
Bulgaria:
Russia:
MIDDLE EAST
Middle East
OTHER:
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Forest Monitoring / Remote Sensing / GIS
The US Forest Service and its partners integrate remote sensing and field technologies to monitor the health and status of forests, and to apply these technologies to specific management issues. It is based on existing cooperation with a number of countries, including Indonesia, Brazil, Mexico and Russia. The objective is to develop more effective monitoring approaches, using integrated, cost-effective technologies applicable to a range of forest types, to address such issues as illegal logging, concessionaire performance, forest regeneration, carbon sequestration, fire impact and indices of forest health.
AFRICA
Tanzania:
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Forest Health / Invasive Species
Building on existing activities in Russia, China, South America and elsewhere, the US Forest Service focuses on methods to prevent, control or mitigate the damage of existing and potential forest pests and pathogens. Emphasis is placed on control of invasive species through biological control and habitat management measures. |
ASIA & THE PACIFIC
China:
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| Related Publications |
Asia-Pacific Forest Invasive Species Network newsletter:
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LATIN AMERICA, CANADA, & THE CARIBBEAN
Brazil:
Mexico:
RUSSIA, EUROPE, & NEAR ASIA
Russia:
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Migratory Species / Habitat Management
The Agency also applies its scientific and land-management
expertise to habitat management, ecosystem restoration
and biodiversity conservation, particularly for migratory
species. Activities include the restoration of degraded
forest systems, particularly riparian areas, development
of conservation to maintain biodiversity and other environmental
benefits in managed forests, and conservation education
and training. |
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PRACTITIONER'S
TOOLBOX
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Click
here to learn more Wings Across the Americas--the Forest Service integrated, all-bird approach to conservation.
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US Forest Service scientists also work to ensure imperiled
and endangered species are protected in multiple-use
ecosystems by determining habitat needs and population
status, and assessing the impact of a wide range of
management practices.
AFRICA
Congo
Basin & the Central African Regional Program for
the Environment:
LATIN AMERICA, CANADA, & THE CARIBBEAN
Brazil:
Caribbean:
Mexico:
RUSSIA, EUROPE, & NEAR ASIA
Russia:
POLICY
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Watershed Management
US Forest Service hydrologists have extensive experience
in soil protection and water management under a wide
array of forest conditions.
AFRICA
Tanzania
LATIN AMERICA, CANADA, & THE CARIBBEAN
Mexico:
RUSSIA, EUROPE, & NEAR ASIA
Albania:
Russia
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PRACTITIONER'S
TOOLBOX
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1.
The US Forest Service International Programs
and the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point
invite natural resource managers worldwide to
attend the International Seminar on Watershed
Management from September 27-October 13, 2002.
Click here
for more details.
2.
Forests are integral in sustaining the health
of fresh water in the world. Consequently, the
US Forest Service plays an active role
in rehabilitating our nation's watersheds, a role
described in Water
and the Forest Service.
3.
Between 1972 and 1997, the Clean Water Act and
its provisions allowed for the cleanup of a large
number of the nation's rivers, lakes, and coasts.
Yet in 1997, even as vast improvements had been
made, 40% of America's waterways were still unfit
fishing or swimming. With support from the US Forest Service and several other government
agencies, the Clean
Water Action Plan was put into action in 1998
to ensure further progress toward clean and safe
water for America.
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MIDDLE EAST
The
Middle East:
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Protected Areas / Ecotourism
The US Forest Service manages a wide range of protected
areas, from deserts in the Southwest to swamps in the
Southeast to tundra in Alaska. The US Forest Service has expertise in wilderness planning,
including limits of acceptable change, monitoring, restoration
of degraded sites, recreation/nature tourism and wilderness
education.
Agency
research areas emphasize the social issues relating
to wilderness, physical impact monitoring, restoration
and ecological processes in protected areas. Some illustrative
publications include: Wilderness Planning Training
Module, Wilderness Fire Planning Guidebook, and Kindergarten
through Eighth grade Wilderness and Land Ethic Curriculum.
By hosting several million visitors each year, the US Forest Service has acquired extensive experience
in the design and delivery of infrastructure and interpretive
materials for visitors. With counterparts, agency specialists
help to develop visitor guidelines and interpretive
materials, visitor programs and environmental education
programs for elementary and secondary schools, including
curricula development and teacher training.
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AFRICA
Southern
Africa:
LATIN AMERICA, CANADA, & THE CARIBBEAN
Mexico:
RUSSIA, EUROPE, & NEAR ASIA
Albania:
Russia:
MIDDLE EAST
The
Middle East:
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Forest Products
As one of the nation's important players
in forest products, the US Forest Service conducts research and implements
projects encompassing all aspects of sustainable forest
products development. In partnership with other governments,
non-governmental organizations and universities, the
Agency works in the U.S. and overseas to develop more
effective mechanisms-whether they be technical or institutional-for
the sustainable development of forest products. Focal
areas include the training of entrepreneurs working
with non-timber forest products, reducing the environmental
effects of pulp and paper mills, recycling, increasing
lumber yield per log and others.
The
US Forest Service's Forest Products Laboratory, in
Madison, Wisconsin, is a leading wood and fiber products
research institution. For over 90 years, the lab has
sought to identify and conduct innovative wood and fiber
research that contributes to the conservation and productivity
of the forest resource. The research concentrates on
pulp, paper, paper board and composites, housing and
structural uses of wood, wood preservation, wood and
fungi identification, adhesives, surface chemistry,
and biochemistry. Visit their website
to learn more about their Visiting
Scientist Program, research publications or ongoing
research.
The
US Forest Service participates and represents the United
States in the United Nations Economic Commission for
Europe (ECE) Timber Committee which provides data, information
and policy fora on timber industry issues in the European
Union with the observation and participation of the
United States. The Policy
unit of International Programs provides U.S. representation
on a certification network for technical information.
A scientist from the Forest Products Laboratory provides
U.S. representation on timber trade and statistics reporting.
The
American
Forest and Paper Association provides data on the
wood products industry in the United States as well
as international efforts and issues important to the
industry.
The Policy
unit has also several issues, summaries and related
links to other forest products information such as certification
and trade.
AFRICA
Congo
Basin & the Central African Regional Program for
the Environment:
LATIN AMERICA, CANADA, & THE CARIBBEAN
Bolivia
RUSSIA, EUROPE, & NEAR ASIA
Albania:
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Sustainable Forestry Practices
Sustainable Forestry promotes forest conservation through
the development and dissemination of sustainable management
policies and practices, with an emphasis on reduced-impact
harvesting. We work with many partners including US
Agency for International Development Missions (e.g.,
Brazil, Indonesia), the Center
for International Forestry Research, the Tropical
Forest Foundation and Food
and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
Particular
attention is given to the preservation of forests benefits
such as biodiversity conservation and carbon sequestration.
The intended users of the policies and practices developed
include policy makers, concession managers, private
landowners, community forestry groups and forestry assessment
programs.
AFRICA
Congo
Basin & the Central African Regional Program for
the Environment:
Madagascar:
ASIA & THE PACIFIC
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PRACTITIONER'S
TOOLBOX
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1.
The US Forest Service International Programs and
Colorado
State University invite natural resource managers
from around the world to participate in the 18th
International Seminar on Forest and Natural Resources
Administration and Management - from August
25 until September 12, 2002.
2.
LOW-VOLUME
ROADS ENGINEERING: Best Management Practices Field
Guide
[For access to this guide in SPANISH, click here. ]
By Gordon Keller, US Forest Service, and
James Sherar, US Agency for International Development
Constructing
roads can often be a source of ecological problems
for timber harvesting operations. These activities
are mostly responsible for a major part of the
total soil erosion, often because of design or
construction flaws or poor maintenance practices.
In fact, roads can be the source of as much as
90 percent of sediments that pollute waterways,
choke rivers, fill reservoirs and have devastating
effects on aquatic ecosystems. Yet, they are essential
to access forest areas.
The
US Forest Service and the US Agency for International
Development have created a low-volume roads manual
that could provide guidance for logging road construction,
the Low-Volume Roads Engineering Best Management
Practices Field Guide. It offers insights
into ways and means of building adequate roads
and constructing them in a cost-effective way.
For
access to this guide, click on this hyperlink:
http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/24000/24600/24650/
Index_BMP_Field_Guide.htm
For access to this guide in SPANISH, click here. |
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India:
LATIN AMERICA, CANADA, & THE CARIBBEAN
Brazil:
Caribbean:
Mexico:
RUSSIA, EUROPE, & NEAR ASIA
Caucasus
Russia:
MIDDLE EAST
The
Middle East:
POLICY
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Policy Analysis & Development
International
and national government policy on how forests should
be managed is a subject of lively debate in most countries
of the world. Forest policy dialogue is far reaching,
in that it sets the stage for all facets of forest management
and may be related to what's happening down the road,
across a nation, or within the world context. The issues
under discussion are numerous and include sustainable
forest management, trade, economic growth, land tenure
and land rights, national security, biodiversity, land
use, and land conversion. Reflected in this dialogue
is often a full range of perspectives concerning which
of a forest's many values and benefits should be protected,
including commercial, spiritual, environmental, and
recreational. The richness of the ensuing debate is
determined by the breadth of input received from a variety
of forest stakeholders and from the process - often
difficult - of trying to reach a consensus position.
- For
more information on U.S. forest policy, visit the
Policy unit
homepage.
- For
an overview on international aspects of the four main
threats to our national forests, click
here.
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Disaster Support and Mitigation Programs
Disaster Assistance Support Program (DASP)
Due to its extensive emergency response capabilities
and experience in wild land and forest firefighting,
the US Forest Service was recognized as having unique skills
and resources that were suited to respond to any type
of disaster. International Programs' Disaster
Assistance Support Program (DASP) provides disaster
prevention, preparedness, and response expertise to
U.S. relief efforts overseas.
Disaster Mitigation Program
The Disaster Mitigation Program provides technical and training expertise to US domestic and overseas partners in emergency preparedness, response, and disaster mitigation.
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