USDA Forest Service Update
September 2008

SUBJECT:  Rise to the Future Implementation Plan

SUMMARY:  In 2003, the Rise to the Future Task Force (RTTF) Report issued 39 findings and recommendations to address programmatic and strategic objectives, accountability, and staffing within the Fisheries & Watershed Programs of the Forest Service.  The Forest Service formed the Rise to the Future Implementation Team to address these recommendations.  In 2005, the Implementation Team issued an internal plan that prioritized the report recommendations and integrated them with the Forest Service's Strategic Plan by proposing specific action items.

In February of 2007, Forest Service Chief Kimbell signed a RTTF memo during her first week in office, that was sent to all Regional Foresters, Research Directors, Deputy Chiefs, and WO staff with a courtesy copy to the Rise To The Future Implementation Team (Nancy Herbert-FS, Virgil Moore-ODFW, Steve Moyer-TU, Gordon Robertson-ASA, Duane Shroufe-AGFD and Richard Stem-FS) to emphasize support for the recommended action items and to encourage review of the entire Implementation Plan.

The current status of the top five Implementation Plan Action Items:

1. Establish a Sportfishing and Aquatic Resource Advisory Council.  Status:  Proposal and draft charter to establish a Federal Advisory Committee was completed and sent to the Department of Agriculture.
2. Track planned budgets.  Status:  The Action Plan recommended using the Credibility Through Accountability (CTA) process to provide budget and performance accountability.  The CTA process was not adopted by the FS. In 2008, fisheries budget allocation criteria and target definitions were developed and agency work plans will be used to track accomplishments by activity area.
3. Prepare an annual Stakeholder report.  Status:  The annual Fisheries and Watershed Stakeholder report for FY 2008 will be available by late October, 2008.
4. Provide sufficient funding in WO-WFW.  Status: Through the Forest Service's transformation process, approaches are being evaluated to reduce costs and enhance efficiencies at the Washington and Regional Offices, maximizing funds reaching the ground.
5. Set objectives annually.  Status:  National and Regional fisheries and aquatic priorities have been incorporated in the FY 2009 budget direction.

The following Action Items are also in progress this Fiscal Year:
* Establishment of agency-wide efforts to address watershed and aquatic resource inventory data base management. (Action Item 8)
* Evaluation of various ways that the Research Stations work with partners in aquatics. (Action Item 11)
* Increase the visibility of partnership tools. (Action Item 14)
* Inclusion of partnership contribution information into annual reports. (Action Item 20)

CONTACTS: 	Dave Schmid, National Fisheries Program Leader, dschmid@fs.fed.us  202-205-0951
	Ron Dunlap, Assistant Director, Watershed, Fish, Air, rldunlap@fs.fed.us  202-205-1790
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