Crapo, Forest Service Chief to Discuss Collaboration, Forest Rule

Washington, D.C.  - Idaho Senator Mike Crapo will welcome U.S. Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell to Idaho on Monday to hear directly from Idahoans about collaborative land management decisions and to take input on the new forest planning rule.  Crapo and Tidwell will address a noon luncheon of the Idaho Environmental Forum at the Crystal Ballroom in Boise before taking questions at the Idaho Statehouse.

Crapo worked with Tidwell and the Forest Service to convene the Clearwater Basin Collaborative (CBC) advisory group in May 2008 in Lewiston.  The collaborative effort has produced a number of consensus-driven plans for public lands management decisions without litigation in several areas including habitat improvement, economic development, job creation, recreation and preservation on the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forest. 

Tidwell is seeking comments from Idahoans on a national forest planning rule being implemented by the Forest Service.  The Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forest has been selected as an "early adopter" model to implement the rule, which the Forest Service indicates will incorporate collaboration and on-the-ground input.  Crapo, a long-time advocate of collaboration, including the Owyhee Initiative process in southwestern Idaho, says the new rule relies heavily on strong collaboration to succeed.  While he has a mixed view of the rule as proposed, he has pledged to work with Chief Tidwell on implementing the new rule with input from Idahoans.  The Idaho visit will address this objective.

U.S. Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell & Idaho Senator Mike Crapo discuss collaboration and the new forest planning rule:

Monday, February 20, 2012

Noon   Idaho Environmental Forum Luncheon, Crystal Ballroom, Hoff Building, 812 W. Bannock

1:30 PM   News conference and briefing with Idaho media, Idaho Statehouse, Garden (Lower) Level West Wing Auditorium