US Forest Service: MFRC/RC support as internal funding priority

Forest Service endorsement at the forest and regional levels of MFRC and Forest-level RCs is essential to their success, and will likely be a condition of securing grant funding. In addition to the Regional Forester and Forest Supervisor commitments discussed above, the issue of restoration funding must be faced. Forest Service funding for restoration projects, and the association NEPA work, is a significant limiting factor in achieving restoration on the ground. To provide internal incentives, we recommend that RC endorsement of/participation in a project result in enhanced priority for receiving funding.

Funding:

The Group recognizes that implementation of restoration projects requires that they be economically feasible. The value of restoration-generated commercial products, appropriated monies, and grant funding, are all important sources of financial support to achieve restoration goals.

In regards to NEPA, access to new money is needed for projects developed by this process. It is agreed that it would not be acceptable to transfer NEPA funding for established programs of work with merchantable timber outputs to restoration projects that may not produce receipts. Therefore, a strategy to develop additional NEPA funding is essential.

Congressionally approved Forest Service budgets have been and will likely continue to be a limiting factor in the implementation of restoration projects. Additionally, the Forest Service may not initiate or lobby for legislation to address this central issue. To implement the goals of the MFRC, it will be essential that the non-federal MFRC cooperators agree to a multi-faceted action plan in pursuit of restoration funding. To that end, the non-federal MFRC cooperators will develop a comprehensive funding action plan that will address both appropriated and philanthropic funding sources.