ORIGIN OF RESOLUTION:
Massachusetts State Forester

ISSUE OF CONCERN:
Endorsement of National Coalition for Sustaining America's Forests Report

BACKGROUND:
Whereas: the 1998 National Research Council report on Nonfederal Forests (Forestlands in Perspective: Prospects and Opportunities for Sustainable Management of America's Nonfederal Forests) contains four (4) recommendations pertaining to research, education and extension outreach; and

Whereas: the National Association of Professional Forestry Schools and Colleges and the USDA -Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service in cooperation with the USDA Forest Service, and the American Forest and Paper Association organized and conducted a national summit pertaining to the research, education and extension/outreach needs of nonfederal forests; and

Whereas: a twenty six (26) member National Coalition resulting from the Summit developed an action plan for sustaining America's nonfederal forests through research, education and extension/outreach; and

Whereas: the National Association of State Foresters, in their 80th annual meeting at Overland Park, KS, identified collaboration and partnerships as an increasingly important means of addressing nonfederal forests production, environmental quality, and protection issues; and

Whereas: the National Association of Professional Forestry Schools and Colleges in cooperation with the National Coalition, and the Extension Committee on Organization and Policy intends to advance the Coalition recommendations through the Research, Education and Extension Title of the 2002 Farm Bill, and

Whereas: crossover language in the Forestry, Conservation, and Research, Education and Extension Titles of the 2002 Farm Bill would serve to elevate the public's role in nonfederal forestry.

RESOLUTION:
Therefore be it resolved that the National Association of State Foresters, a member of the Coalition responsible for the "National Investment in Sustainable Forestry: Addressing the Stewardship of Nonfederal Forestlands through Research, Education and Extension/Outreach" report, endorses the report and offers assistance to move the recommendations through the applicable Titles of the 2002 Farm Bill.

NASF ACTION:
(X) Approved

DATE OF ACTION: October 4, 2000