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- Info
A national investment in sustainable forestry: Addressing the stewardship of nonfederal forestlands through research, education, and extension/outreach
| Author: |
National Coalition for Sustaining America's Nonfederal Forests |
| Date: |
2000 |
| Periodical: |
Falls Church, VA: National Coalition for Sustaining America's Nonfederal Forests |
| Link: |
http://www.napfsc.org/coalrep.pdf
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| Abstract: |
America's forests are of vital importance for the many benefits they provide: wood and fiber products, air quality, water conservation, biotic diversity, recreational enjoyment, aesthetic value, and a host of other amenities. Sustaining these forests to meet increasing societal demands requires wise decisions and actions by policy makers and forest resource managers, based on a sound body of resource information and participation of a knowledgeable public. Although the federal government has taken strides to meet these needs, federal lands account for only about one-third of the nation's forests. About 20% of our nation's forests are owned by industry, states, and Native American tribes. But, nearly 10 million individual citizens own almost 46% of the nation's forests (Fig. 1). The challenge before the nation is to ensure that these forestlands are sustained for their individual owner's benefit and the benefit of millions of other Americans. To meet this challenge, we must act now to provide a foundation of research, education, and extension/outreach for nonfederal forest landowners and managers. To provide direction on how to meet the challenge, a National Coalition for Sustaining America's Nonfederal Forests was formed of representative stakeholder organizations and groups in 1999 who agreed to work together to develop a national direction and strategy for advancing the sound stewardship and management of nonfederal forestlands. This report of the Coalition provides, as a National Initiative, a roadmap for action to conserve and sustain these forests. |
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