1. Changing Roles: WUI Professional Development Program - An Overview Paul Gellerstedt & Leslie Moorman N.C. Division of Forest Resources June 3, 2010 Powerpoint compiled from presentations by Martha C. Monroe, Lauren McDonell, Univ. of Florida; and Nicole M. Wulff, CR Coordinator

3. Raise your hand if you… Are concerned about fragmentation of forests? Are seeing different types of landowners moving out to more rural areas? Are concerned about fire risk to people and their property? Are seeing urbanization growing into previously rural areas? Are tired of landowners not listening to your advice?

4. What is the Wildland-Urban Interface? An area where increased human influence and land conversion are changing natural resource goods, services, and management Not just fire!

5. Changing Roles: Building skills to meet WUI challenges Nicole Wulff U.S. Forest Service - InterfaceSouth

8. Where urban sprawl presses against natural areas… The Interface is an area… Where nature or development is an island within the other…

9. Where land use is changing…

10.  Decreasing parcel size  Increasing number of land owners  Loss of connectivity

11. There are many issues to deal with…

12. FIRE!

13. Wildlife

14. Recreation

15. Forest Management

16. Human Dimensions

17. The Result Challenges to manage the resource Conflicts over different objectives Depressing long-term forecast…

18. …and resource professionals are overwhelmed!!

19. Who can help???

20. Changing Roles – The Concept The Southern Group of State Foresters led a partnership with the USDA Forest Service, InterfaceSouth, the University of Florida, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to develop a WUI professional development program.

21. Partners and Cooperators

22. Changing Roles - The Project This program provides resource professionals with a set of flexible tools to conduct their own training programs aimed toward building skills and tools to successfully tackle WUI issues.

23. Changing Roles – Tools for Workshops DVD: When Nature is at Your Doorstep Large notebook –37 interactive exercises –23 case studies –28 fact sheets –4 Trainer’s Guides Powerpoint presentations Website support Listserve Quarterly e-bulletin Available to Resource Professionals:

24. Website: http://interfacesouth.org/changingroles

25. Changing Roles Changing Roles section of InterfaceSouth webpage Changing Roles Listserve Changing Roles Notebook Changing Roles Update Information Handout Related Resources Trainer’s Corner

26. Module Topics 1: WUI Issues and Connections 2: Managing Interface Forests 3: Land-Use Planning and Policy 4: Communicating with Interface Residents and Leaders

27. Module 1: WUI Issues and Connections What is the Wildland-Urban Interface? Key WUI Issues in the South Why Focus on the WUI? Skills Needed by Natural Resource Professionals

28. Module 2: Forest Management Who Are Interface Landowners? Generating Income from Interface Forests Reducing Fire Risk Amenity Resources Forest Health Wildlife Water Management Practicing Visible Stewardship Mechanical Vegetative Management Forest Cooperatives (Case study later in this Presentation)

29. Module 3: Land-use Planning & Policy Some Policies and Programs that Affect Natural Resources Zoning Ordinances Smart Growth Principles Some Negative Effects of Urban Sprawl Subdivision Design Land Conservation Tools Best Management Practices in the South

30. Module 4: Communication Communication Basics Starting an Informal Presentation The Language of Conservation Tools for Understanding Audiences Working with African American and Hispanic Communities Addressing Misconceptions about Wildland-Urban Interface Issues Communication Challenges–When People Will Not Agree Social Marketing Tools

31. In the Trainer’s Notebook you will find….

32. Trainer’s Guides… Provide background information for each module Provide direction for using the training elements

33. Role plays Discussion questions Worksheets Ice breakers Handouts Small group Large group Adaptable Exercises…

34. Fact Sheets… Outline important points, strategies, and information Provide additional background material Can be used for different audiences

35. Resources… Books Reports Articles Media Websites Possible fieldtrips Guest speakers

36. Case Studies… Represent each state of the South and Puerto Rico & the Virgin Islands Use examples from various resource agencies Describe a variety of interface issues Each module has discussion questions

37. How have materials been used? 1-2 day in-service training Session in conjunction with an annual meeting Breakout session in an agency annual training Teleconference/webinar Texas Forest Expo Integrated with Firewise field days Integrated with Green Infrastructure training Integrated with leadership training Integrated in undergraduate forestry courses Emerging Communities Redesign

38. Coming in 2011! New Module 5: Emerging Issues Land-use planning at multiple scales An ecosystem goods and services approach Climate change Small-scale forestry Ecological restoration Social responsibility

40. Fall 2010 Webinar Series We want to hear from you!! –Who do you want to hear from? –What topics would you like to learn more about? –What questions or problems do you find challenging? –What of your own work experience would you like to share with your colleagues?

41. For More Info Contact: Changing Roles Training Coordinator Nicole Wulff nmwulff@fs.fed.us Phone: (352) 378-2451

43. Coming up: a case study example… Leslie Moorman will now present a Case Study on Forest Landowner Cooperatives in Virginia. This case study is found in Module 2 of the Changing Roles Program.

44. Forest cooperatives

45. Why Forest Cooperatives? Small acreage, family forest landowners are more common Help landowners manage effectively for multiple objectives Help keep land in forestry Makes forest operations more profitable and sometimes more sustainable Can help reduce WUI issues

46. Forest cooperatives Protect ecological systems Share information, equipment, & labor Protect buffers Create wildlife corridors Share access roads Develop formal business arrangement

47. Benefits Trusted Knowledge Pooled Resources Increased Property Access Coordinated Forest Health Value-added Products Community Development Political Clout

48. Costs and reservations Governance Property rights Start-up cost Marketing Lack of time, trust, or temptation Funding

49. Cooperative examples 1.The Blue Ridge Forest Landowner Cooperative 2.The Forest Bank 3.National Demonstration Program in Community Based Forestry

50. Case Study 3: Cooperation is the Key: The Blue Ridge Forest Landowner Cooperative

51. The Blue Ridge Co-op Located in Southwestern Virginia Founded in 2003 Goal: assist members in becoming certified by FSC Five board members, one chief executive officer

52. The Blue Ridge Co-op Members – –$500 common stock – minimum of 20 acres –adhere to guiding documents Focusing on Marketing & Education Technical Assistance Currently 900 acres, hopes to grow to 10,000 acres

53. Module 2 Discussion Questions Has your agency been involved in assisting any local forest cooperatives? If so, how? How can cooperatives influence forest management in the interface? What advantages do forest cooperatives provide? What challenges or disadvantages do they have? What types of resources were used to get the Blue Ridge Cooperative established? What agencies and organizations have provided them with assistance? What role can resource professionals play in assisting forest cooperatives?