2010 Climate Solutions University: Forest and Water Strategies

March - December, 2010

Scholarships and Project Summary

Overview

Rural communities and forested watersheds play a vital role in solving our climate crisis. By maintaining healthy forests they conserve water resources, protect citizens from flooding/drought/health hazards, sequester carbon, preserve their economy, and maintain natural habitat. Forests can store one fifth of our CO2 emissions, preserve vital habitat, stabilize local micro-climates and hydrologic cycles, and protect two-thirds of all US water sources. However, forest lands and water resources are at risk as few rural communities are directly addressing these issues by creating climate action plans.

The Model Forest Policy Program's strategy to meet the urgent need for forest and water climate action planning is to replicate an effective community process that has already resulted in customized local policy changes and increased public awareness. A four step process engages the community, improves natural resource policy decisions and fosters sustainable livelihoods for resource dependent populations.

The Model Forest Policy Program community process has been demonstrated in successful case studies in Idaho and Tennessee. The next step is to replicate that process in six additional communities across the U.S. and set the stage for even broader replication to dozens more communities in subsequent years. This approach will generate rapid action, save time and money for local communities, support local economies with resource dependent jobs, and assure economic stability through climate resilience.

The Model Forest Policy Program (MFPP) and its partners, The Cumberland River Compact and The Climate Project are fostering this leadership role for rural communities with an emphasis on underserved rural counties. Together these partners are offering the "Climate Solutions University: Forest and Water Strategies" project to help communities develop sound local government land use management options.

Project Goals, Process and Outcomes

The purpose of the Climate Solutions University (CSU) is to guide and empower local communities in resource rich areas to develop local forest and water climate action plans. The four steps of the community process are: 1) Community decides to take leadership action; 2) Local conditions are assessed for resource vulnerabilities and action opportunities for forest, water and land use planning and practices; 3) Strategies and recommendations are developed; and 4) Actions are implemented, monitored and evaluated for impacts and benefits. This ten month CSU project will guide selected communities through the first three steps and prepare them for action implementation in 2011.

In early 2010, we will select six communities across the U.S. to participate as a group through a ten-month training and coaching process, March through December. The CSU partnership team and guest presenters will provide 12 webinar presentations, 10 monthly coaching conference calls and individual coaching on community specific issues. Each community group will engage fully in the process, be guided through a multi-step education and planning process, develop in-depth analysis of local forest water climate conditions; and create a customized strategy for local implementation.

Support for the community group will include $10,000 in scholarship funding and access to the ten month education process worth an estimated value of $50,000. The community group will be expected to commit to the full process, provide a half-time staff person to the manage project, and contribute at least $10,000 of local matching funds to support the project staff time and other costs.

Specific outcomes are dependent upon local conditions and community values. However, in each community, the general environmental outcomes are greater protection of forest cover, stability of water resources, preserved natural habitat, sequestration of carbon, reduced risk of harm from avoidance disasters such as floods, droughts and fires, and enhanced community resilience against the impacts of climate change. The community outcomes are greater public participation in natural resource decisions, protective public policy, and strong institutions for influencing resource management.

In future years, the number of participating communities will gradually expand each year with a goal of engaging 200 communities in the next five years. By participating in the Climate Solutions University, rural communities will generate direct results for natural resource climate adaptation and resiliency. The process may also motivate communities to complete a full climate action plan including green house gas inventory and comprehensive emission reduction strategies.

Eligibility

Deadline for application: To accommodate requests from applicants, we have extended the deadline to February 22, 2010.

Funding eligibility is limited to local or regional non-profit 501(c)(3) organizations, local county or municipal governments, or coalitions of the above types of groups. National organizations and state or federal agencies may participate in partnership with a local organization or local agency where appropriate. However, the primary applicant and project leadership will be based in a local community group.

The characteristics of particular importance in the evaluation process include but are not limited to: eligibility, geographic distribution, funder priorities, strength of the applying organization, collaborating partnerships, benefits to rural and underserved population in the community, regional or national significance of the project area, commitment of staff and organizational resources to the project; track record of forest, water or climate work by the organization, natural resources at risk in the community, ability to participate in long distance learning modules via webinar and telephone; and perceived likelihood of successful completion.

For full scholarship details and to apply, please register below. A confirmation email will be sent which you must respond to in order to be registered. Then you will receive an email with the attached Application and Instructions.

Toby Thaler, JD, has over thirty years experience in forestry and related natural resource management issues in the Northwest. He has worked for a broad range of clients-Tribes, public interest groups, local governments-to promote sustainable resource management policies, including forest practices and forest land conservation, shoreline and water resource management.

William Paddock MBA, is a sustainability expert who works with local government and business clients on the implementation of sustainable practices and strategies. William was the Cookeville, TN, Project Director helping that region create a forest water climate action plan. William holds a Bachelor of Science from the University of Alabama and a MBA in Sustainability from the Institute for Sustainable Practice at Lipscomb University.

Nancy Gilliam, PhD., has helped over 5,000 landowners implement sustainable forestry practices. She initiated the Virginia General Assembly's study of forest health. Nancy founded the Model Forest Policy Program in 2000 due to proliferation of chip mills in the south and lack of forest policy. She has worked with state and local government officials in VA, TN, ID, and WA guiding model forest policy development and education.

Todd Crossett, MA, has over fifteen years experience in government relations, strategic planning, facilitation, organizational development, project management and advocacy for sustainable practices. Todd served for two years as County Commissioner introducing groundbreaking water protective land use codes in conservative North Idaho.

Gwen Griffith, DVM, MS, serves as program director in sustainable building and low impact development with The Cumberland River Compact, bringing the watershed perspective to the work of climate change mitigation and adaptation. She takes the continuum of care approach from land use planning to smart growth to green building to low impact landscaping to efficient site management. She provides in-depth education on the energy, water, climate connection with an emphasis on water efficiency and source water protection.

What Will the Curriculum Offer?

The CSU curriculum will offer 12 live 90 minute webinars over a 10 month period designed to lead the communities through a four step process assessment and planning process:

1. Community commits to taking action
2. Community assesses its vulnerability and opportunities for forest water and climate
3. Community develops plans and strategies to take action
4. Community implements the plans, monitors results, and evaluates for future action

Each of the 12 webinar-based learning modules will include the following components:

• Clear set of learning objectives and content outline
• Live 90- minute webinar session for community leaders
• White Paper reviewing the webinar content
• Archived webinar slide presentations and transcript
• Interactive Webinar activities, including progress reports from each community
• Homework Assignments - assessment and planning work between webinars
• Key References and List of Additional Reading
• Live 90-minute consulting conference calls for community leaders between webinars

As the year progresses, the content of the series of webinars will be adapted and customized to meet the particular needs of the participating communities. However, the guiding organization of the 12 webinar topics will be:

1. Overview of Forest Water Climate Issues - Seeing the Big Picture
2. Creating and Activating Your Community Team
3. A Review of Policy Options and Successful Climate Action Plans
4. Assessing Local Climate Vulnerabilities and Opportunities
5. Assessing Local Forest Vulnerabilities and Opportunities
6. Assessing Local Water Vulnerabilities and Opportunities
7. Assessing Economic Conditions and Opportunities
8. Evaluating and Synthesizing Vulnerabilities and Opportunities
9. Creating Strategies and Recommendations
10. Creating an Action Plan
11. Building Public Support for Taking Action
12. Evaluating Status and Next Steps for Implementation

Bonner County, Idaho now has over 2,000 miles of streams and shoreline protected with forested buffers and setbacks.

Cookeville, Tennessee has a comprehensive planning process with local climate data that enables leaders to make solid forest and water protection ordinances.

"The Model Forest Policy Program and Cumberland River Compact staffs were asked to review the city's current comprehensive plan and then make any recommendations concerning additions or changes that were needed in order to conform to the issues the city would be facing in the coming years. From my perspective as Planning Commission Chairman, their review and recommendations they furnished were simply superb. Their incisive and detailed examination which resulted in a comprehensive written report with appropriate recommendations for inclusion to the city's plan will enhance our overall effort to ensure the aesthetics of the natural beauty of this area.

"In conclusion, I would highly recommend any city or other agency which is seeking to pursue these issues engage these individuals for the assistance. They fully understand the complexities of problems associated with forest, water and climate and how the various policies can be implemented for governmental institutions to modify and change their existing directives and policies. From my perspective, it has been a pleasure working with them for the past year and I would be most happy to speak with anyone who would desire any additional comments concerning this memorandum."

James A. Stafne
Cookeveille, TN