New Currency of Conservation New Currency of Conservation ConferenceConference

May 20, 2005May 20, 2005

The USDA Forest Service The USDA Forest Service andand

Nature’s ServicesNature’s Services

Keeping Forests in Forests

Peter J. Roussopoulos, Acting Deputy Chief for State and Private Forestry

USDA FS MotiveUSDA FS Motive

Keeping Forests in Forests:Keeping Forests in Forests:

Focusing on Private Lands—Family ForestsFocusing on Private Lands—Family Forests

Maintaining service flows to the publicMaintaining service flows to the public

Current FS Work UpdateCurrent FS Work Update Conferences/SpeechesConferences/Speeches Expanding ResearchExpanding Research Texas Pilot ProjectTexas Pilot Project Ecosystem Marketplace (Ecosystem Marketplace (

www.ecosystemmarketplace.comwww.ecosystemmarketplace.com) ) Ecosystem Services Weblog (Ecosystem Services Weblog (

www.ecosystemservices.usda.govwww.ecosystemservices.usda.gov)) Focus GroupsFocus Groups

Focus Group PurposeFocus Group Purpose

Listen to diverse stakeholder opinions and ideasListen to diverse stakeholder opinions and ideas Engage partners in initial discussions about the Engage partners in initial discussions about the

FS role and potential activitiesFS role and potential activities Support the development of a work plan Support the development of a work plan Advance FS knowledge of ecosystem services Advance FS knowledge of ecosystem services

and key challenges and key challenges

Focus Group SelectionFocus Group Selection

FS team contacted ~250 interested parties on this FS team contacted ~250 interested parties on this topic by email and phonetopic by email and phone

Experts, innovative thinkers, and active organizations Experts, innovative thinkers, and active organizations were identified and asked to participate in focus were identified and asked to participate in focus groupsgroups

8-12 participants in 3 regional focus groups (29 total 8-12 participants in 3 regional focus groups (29 total participants)participants)

Other interested parties remain engaged through Other interested parties remain engaged through listserv and weblog (listserv and weblog (www.ecosystemservices.usda.govwww.ecosystemservices.usda.gov))

Focus Group DesignFocus Group Design

2 main questions2 main questions What few areas should the FS focus its energy on What few areas should the FS focus its energy on

to advance ecosystem service markets?to advance ecosystem service markets? RolesRoles ActivitiesActivities 4-5 opportunities for development4-5 opportunities for development

What are some of the challenges the agency may What are some of the challenges the agency may face?face?

Overall Themes and Advice:Overall Themes and Advice:FS Activities and RolesFS Activities and Roles

Representation and CommunicationRepresentation and Communication Develop an aggressive marketing and promotion Develop an aggressive marketing and promotion

planplan Craft terminology and messages for varying audiencesCraft terminology and messages for varying audiences

Conduct market analysis to determine public Conduct market analysis to determine public values and demandsvalues and demands

Support conservation educationSupport conservation education

Overall Themes and Advice:Overall Themes and Advice:FS Activities and Roles FS Activities and Roles (2)

EngagementEngagement Enable/Draft new legislation and authorities; revamp Enable/Draft new legislation and authorities; revamp

existing conservation incentive programs existing conservation incentive programs Act as a convener, bring together:Act as a convener, bring together:

Key stakeholders for a “futuring” process Key stakeholders for a “futuring” process Agencies for shared understanding and better collaboration and Agencies for shared understanding and better collaboration and

delivery of servicesdelivery of services Various partners, potential buyers and sellers, and interested Various partners, potential buyers and sellers, and interested

parties parties Look to the Farm Bill as a potential vehicle Look to the Farm Bill as a potential vehicle Jump start markets with seed money or regulationJump start markets with seed money or regulation

Overall Themes and Advice:Overall Themes and Advice:FS Activities and Roles FS Activities and Roles (3)

CreationCreation Conduct ResearchConduct Research

Assessment and monitoringAssessment and monitoring Modeling and projectingModeling and projecting Social sciences—understanding public opinions and valuesSocial sciences—understanding public opinions and values Systems understanding (cause/effect)Systems understanding (cause/effect) Identify hot spots or priority areas on the landscape Identify hot spots or priority areas on the landscape Conduct market analysis to understand trends and demand Conduct market analysis to understand trends and demand

Demonstrate to learn—pilot projects and case studiesDemonstrate to learn—pilot projects and case studies

Overall Themes and Advice:Overall Themes and Advice:ChallengesChallenges

MoneyMoney Interagency collaboration in an effective mannerInteragency collaboration in an effective manner Education—communicating the value of conservation to Education—communicating the value of conservation to

a growing urban publica growing urban public Terminology—picking the right wordsTerminology—picking the right words Competing land values continue to riseCompeting land values continue to rise Time is of the essenceTime is of the essence Re-tooling existing programs and resources to make this Re-tooling existing programs and resources to make this

work—who will give up what?work—who will give up what? Making it simple for landowners to understand and Making it simple for landowners to understand and

participate participate

Overall Themes and Advice Overall Themes and Advice FS LeadershipFS Leadership

Diverse opinions about how much or what Diverse opinions about how much or what type of leadershiptype of leadership FS can use this to re-establish itself as the leader in FS can use this to re-establish itself as the leader in

conservation—redefine the Agencyconservation—redefine the Agency FS could be a “silent leader”—act as convener and FS could be a “silent leader”—act as convener and

facilitatorfacilitator There is potential to use NFS lands and land There is potential to use NFS lands and land

management to stimulate markets by serving as a management to stimulate markets by serving as a land-based insurance bank to private landownersland-based insurance bank to private landowners

What’s Next for the FS?What’s Next for the FS?

Digestion of informationDigestion of information Install Agency structureInstall Agency structure Development of a two-year work planDevelopment of a two-year work plan Active listening and adaptive managementActive listening and adaptive management

Draft Agency StructureDraft Agency Structure All related activities report to the Deputy Chief All related activities report to the Deputy Chief

for State & Private Forestry (currently Pete for State & Private Forestry (currently Pete Roussopoulos)Roussopoulos) Co-Lead—Director of Cooperative Forestry (Larry Co-Lead—Director of Cooperative Forestry (Larry

Payne)Payne) Deputy Chief Appointed Advisory/Oversight Team:Deputy Chief Appointed Advisory/Oversight Team:

Coordinated by Dave Cleaves Coordinated by Dave Cleaves S&PF—Steve Marshall, Karen SolariS&PF—Steve Marshall, Karen Solari R&D—Tom Crow, Linda LangerR&D—Tom Crow, Linda Langer NFS—Anne Zimmerman, Susan Yonts-Shepard, Chuck MyersNFS—Anne Zimmerman, Susan Yonts-Shepard, Chuck Myers Business Operations—Bill HelinBusiness Operations—Bill Helin PL&C—Mike Murphy, Steve HartPL&C—Mike Murphy, Steve Hart International Programs—Alex MoadInternational Programs—Alex Moad

Draft Agency StructureDraft Agency Structure Five Work GroupsFive Work Groups

PolicyPolicy Evaluate ExistingEvaluate Existing New OpportunitiesNew Opportunities

Science and TechnologyScience and Technology WaterWater Biodiversity/Habitat LossBiodiversity/Habitat Loss CarbonCarbon

Communications and OutreachCommunications and Outreach MarketingMarketing EducationEducation

Place-based LearningPlace-based Learning Pilot projectsPilot projects

Synthesis and IntegrationSynthesis and Integration Across work groupsAcross work groups

Support TeamSupport Team

ConclusionsConclusions

The FS is excited and committed The FS is excited and committed Current motive is on keeping forests in forests, Current motive is on keeping forests in forests,

and focuses on family forestsand focuses on family forests The FS wants to be as inclusive as possibleThe FS wants to be as inclusive as possible Open for comments and suggestionsOpen for comments and suggestions