THE LANDS COUNCIL'S FOREST POLICY
(Approved by The Lands Council Board of Directors, May 2008)

The restoration and conservation of natural resources is imperative to the watersheds of the Inland Northwest. Forest management practices on national forests and public land must be grounded in best available science and guided by a landscape perspective that restores and protects natural processes and biodiversity to achieve ecological integrity and sustainability.

These management practices may include, but are not limited to, the restoration of natural processes such as fire, insects, and weather, the protection of mature and old-growth forests, native flora and fauna, watershed function, and actions to reduce fragmentation through road removal and repair, the protection of roadless areas, and travel management planning.

Roadless areas contain much of the last remaining public land of highest ecological integrity. The Lands Council supports steps to protect roadless areas from development and resource extraction, including Congressional designation of wilderness in full consistency with the Wilderness Act.

Motorized recreation is an increasing threat to ecological integrity and quiet recreation on public lands. The Lands Council supports travel planning to bring motorized recreational activities to levels in accordance with ecological and social sustainability.

Communities within and adjacent to forests are concerned about wildfire, and The Lands Council supports actions to assist landowners in reducing the ignitability of structures, as well as mechanical fuel reduction and prescribed fire activities closely adjacent to private lands. This assistance in fostering Firewise communities may include management actions that may not be fully consistent with restoring natural processes such as fire, and involves education and outreach on the importance of fire on the landscape.

Stakeholders with diverse interests are concerned with the management of public land and resources. The Lands Council supports engagement in various public processes, as outlined in the National Environmental Policy Act and other administrative procedures, open consensus-based collaborative groups, judicial proceedings, and other civil procedures.

For more information contact our Forest Policy Director, Jeff Juel at (509) 209-2401, or at jjuel@landscouncil.org.