Pacific Southwest Region
1323 Club Drive
Vallejo, CA 94592
707.562.8737
TTY: 707.562.9240
FAX: 707.562.9130
Pacific Southwest Region
1323 Club Drive
Vallejo, CA 94592
707.562.8737
TTY: 707.562.9240
FAX: 707.562.9130
National Forests in California
In October 2008, the Pacific Southwest Region's Leadership Team, comprised of Forest Supervisors, Regional Program Directors, and the Regional Forester, met to discuss and identify the issues of greatest importance to the Forest Service in California. The Regional Leadership Team identified five strategic priorities that will guide the Region through FY 2009 and beyond. These priorities reflect who we are as a Region and where we intend to go in the future.
The Pacific Southwest Region's five Strategic Priorities are:
These priorities are forward looking, and by focusing our efforts in these key areas, we will be prepared for the land management challenges of the 21st century, including climate change, the increasing threat of wildfire, and human population pressures.
Email r5info@fs.fed.us for questions or more information about the Pacific Southwest Regional Strategic Priorities.
Climate change is the biggest conservation challenge facing the Forest Service in the 21st century. Contributing to global efforts that help forests mitigate and adapt to climate change is a priority for the Forest Service in California. Once finalized, the Forest Service strategy will include efforts to help forests adapt to changes in climate by restoring the resilience of forest, range, and aquatic ecosystems; managing forests to increase the carbon dioxide they capture and store; using forest products to reduce and replace fossil fuel energy; maintaining a climate change research program; and reducing the agency's environmental footprint through sustainable operations.
The need for ecological restoration in our national forests is widely recognized due to the myriad of threats to our landscapes including catastrophic wildfire, climate change, and increasing human population pressures. The Forest Service has recognized these threats and conducted restoration–related activities on National Forest System lands for decades. However, the agency has recently recognized the need for a more focused approach that clearly identifies ecological restoration as the primary goal for all land management actions.
In 2005, the Forest Service issued a national framework for local forests to use in designating a sustainable system of roads, trails and areas for motor vehicle use. Since then, the Forest Service in California has been working within the national framework to complete the OHV route designation process on all 18 national forests within the state.
The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) has been one of the most influential environmental policy laws governing federal land management since it was signed into law by President Nixon in 1970. The Pacific Southwest Region recognizes the value and importance of this law and throughout 2009 the Region will undertake several efforts toward enhancing its capacity to produce quality NEPA documents and will focus initial efforts on revising and updating forest land management resource plans in California. As a Region, we will ensure that we are consistently producing quality NEPA documents that accurately reflect proposed work, meet all legal requirements, and can be easily understood by the public.
The Pacific Southwest Region recognizes that our employees are the foundation of our agency and we must ensure their health and welfare in order to successfully accomplish the Forest Service Mission. Regional and forest leadership throughout the state are focused on employee well being and the quality of our facilities. As such, Region and local units are encouraging employee participation in fitness programs, the use of flexible work schedules, and are emphasizing the importance of balancing work and family life. Throughout 2009, leadership will be evaluating work facilities and will identify priorities for improvements including internet access, health and safety improvements, and in some locations, exercise facilities will be added.