United States Forest Service.

Pacific Southwest Region
1323 Club Drive
Vallejo, CA 94592
707.562.8737
TTY: 707.562.9240
FAX: 707.562.9130

Sustainable Operations Vision Statement

December 17, 2008

A Sustainable Resource Management ethic has defined the Forest Service in our First Century. As we embark on our second century of service, we must align our Sustainable Resource Management ethic with a Sustainable Consumption ethic in all of our decisions.

We will create within our operations those habits that inspire individual and organizational decisions that lead directly to reducing energy use, water use, and waste production at our buildings and facilities; reducing emissions from transportation and travel; increasing fuel efficiency in our fleet; increasing recycling; and developing and implementing green purchasing practices.

We understand that achieving this vision requires active involvement from every employee in every staff area. Our goal is to enable employees to achieve this vision, not so much by adding work, but by asking employees to rethink the way that we do business. This does not signal a loss in our ability to implement the agency’s mission, but does require a change in mindset towards more environmentally sound operations. As we seek to achieve our vision, we will seek continual improvement, acknowledge our responsibility as leaders in natural resource conservation, strive to share our learning, serve as an example to others, and work to fulfill the public trust.

We will realize this vision, in part, by…

  1. Improving the energy efficiency of our facilities through energy efficiency audits, facility improvements, and the full utilization of tools like Utility Energy Service Contracts (UESC) and Energy Savings Performance Contracts (ESPC).
  2. Planning, designing, constructing, and operating new facilities that address “whole site” sustainable practices, and result in LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) certified buildings.
  3. Reducing fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions in our travel and transportation, by right-sizing our fleet, using more fuel efficient vehicles and hybrids, and by promoting carpooling, vehicle sharing, and telecommuting.
  4. Reducing water consumption by creating and implementing practices that support sustainable water resources.
  5. Fully establishing and implementing green purchasing policies and programs for our acquisitions and operations and maintenance activities; and ensuring that the appropriate green procurement, recycling, and waste minimization language is incorporated into service contracts.
  6. Supporting and expanding recycling programs at our offices, visitor centers, and recreation sites.
  7. Educating the public about our efforts and informing and motivating them to behave in more sustainable manner through necessary signage and interpretive displays.
  8. Developing and utilizing pollution prevention plans on units that use hazardous materials.
  9. Initiating and supporting the establishment of green teams on our units that will work to identify and implement place-based, grassroots sustainable operations activities.

We are committed to the goals and actions identified in the aforementioned vision statement.

Regional Leadership Team (RLT)

Station Leadership Team (SLT)