THE LUBRECHT REPORT: A MID-WAY ASSESSMENT OF THE 10 -YEAR WILDERNESS STEWARDSHIP CHALLENGE Developed By: The Wilderness Advisory Group April 2010

Presentation Overview Background Current Status Looking Back – The First Five Year Looking Ahead – The Next Five Years

Background The 10-Year Wilderness Stewardship Challenge (10YWSC) has the stated goal of having all wildernesses managed to a minimum stewardship level by 2014 The target date coincides with the 50 th anniversary of the Wilderness Act The minimum stewardship level is reached when a wilderness scores 60-points or higher of a total possible 100-points on ten elements Elements include fire planning, recreation site inventory and baseline workforce The 10YWSC was approved by Chief Dale Bosworth and the National Leadership Team in the fall of 2003

Percent of Wildernesses Meeting Standard - National

Average Score - National

Average Score by Element - National

Percent of Wildernesses Meeting Standard – Regional (FY 2009 data)

Average Score – Regional (FY 2009 data)

Percent of Wildernesses Meeting Standard – Regional

Average Score – Regional

Number of Wildernesses by Progress Classes – National (FY 2009 data)

Number of Wildernesses by Progress Classes – Regional (FY 2009 data)

Progress Needed to Make the Challenge

Looking Back – The First Five Years What Has Worked Well: Regional Coordination Setting a Specific Timeframe for Making Progress Focusing on Progressing in a Single Element Concentrating on Lagging Wilderness Areas Dedicating Professionals to Make Progress Hiring detailers Bringing in Trainers Creating Strike Teams Having Region/Forest resource specialists work directly with wilderness personnel Increasing Cooperation between Wilderness Programs

Looking Back – The First Five Years What Has Worked Well: (cont.) Functional Integration Supporting Specialists to Work Directly with Wilderness Personnel Line Officer Leadership and Commitment Emphasizing the Challenge as a Priority Leadership Accountability for Meeting the Challenge Bold Action by Leadership

Looking Back – The First Five Years What Has Worked Well: (cont.) Creative Use of Resources Focusing Funding on the Challenge Creating a Challenge Grant at the Regional Level Applying Outfitter/Guide generated funds for Element 7 (Outfitters/Guides) Applying Inventorying & Monitoring funds for specialists to work on plans and monitoring Using Volunteers Training

Looking Back – The First Five Years What Has Worked Well: (cont.) Strength of Existing Programs Relying on Dedicated & Experienced Wilderness Personnel Revisiting and Adapting pre-10YWSC efforts

Looking Back – The First Five Years What Has Not Worked Well: Lack of Functional Integration Inadequate Line Officer Leadership and Commitment Insufficient Resources Boots on the Ground Funding Training Partnerships and Volunteers

Looking Back – The First Five Years What Has Not Worked Well: (cont.) Inadequate Policy Limitations in the structure of the Challenge

Looking Ahead – The Next Five Years Recommendations: Priority Actions for the Chief Require each Regional Forester to develop, and submit to the Chief, a Regional Strategy to meet the 10YWSC Organize and fund strike teams Establish internal grant funds Provide funds to supplement NFF grant program Conduct assistance reviews for the Regions Develop video for the Chief

Looking Ahead – The Next Five Years Recommendations: (cont.) Innovative Strategies for National Wilderness Leadership Increase communication between WWSR Director and the field Designate National 10YWSC Lead Conduct national leveling calls Conduct national calls to support individual elements of the 10YWSC Improve educational resources for implementing the 10YWSC

Looking Ahead – The Next Five Years Recommendations: (cont.) Strategies for Regional Leadership Develop region-wide approaches to meet the 10YWSC Charter Regional Wilderness Council to facilitate integration; Charter Regional, Zone or Forest WAGs composed of specialists from all resources; Charter integrated regional teams around specific elements (Strike Teams) or to assist units in most need; Develop integrated region-wide funding strategies around specific elements; Hold funding aside to allow competition from individual forests to make progress on the Challenge; Hold funding aside for model forests to make progress on specific elements; Create and fill a Regional 10YWSC Coordinator;

Looking Ahead – The Next Five Years Recommendations: (cont.) Strategies for Regional Leadership Develop region-wide approaches to meet the 10YWSC (cont.) Identify regional Subject Matter Experts (SME) to assist other units; Incorporate meeting 10YWSC in region-wide Business Plans, emphasis areas, and program direction; Conduct region-wide training and meetings to share lessons learned; Hold region-wide leveling calls for consistency in scoring; Create and fill regional internship positions on units of most need; Utilize Enterprise Teams to complete plans, coordinate with specialists, and complete evaluation and/or monitoring; Create and fill regional detail positions that could spend time in the region assisting where most needed and/or focus on specific elements; Develop regional forum for sharing successes/Regional support group (web based, video conferencing, conference calls);

Looking Ahead – The Next Five Years Recommendations: (cont.) Strategies for Regional Leadership Develop region-wide approaches to meet the 10YWSC (cont.) Identify and support staff with ability to focus on Wilderness; Include more specific budget advice related to the Challenge from the Regions and Forests; Require Forests and Districts to develop work plans specific to 10YWSC; Look at other opportunities for funding for the Challenge such as Stimulus; Include progress on the Challenge in annual line officer performance reviews; Require training for all wilderness managers; Encourage training for non-wilderness staff; and Adopt models of successful staffing