Coeur dÕAlene Forestry Coalition                        

P.O. Box 850 – 1621 No. 3rd Street                             

Coeur dÕAlene, ID  83816

                                                                       

                                                            July 31, 2006

Idaho Panhandle RAC

Attn: Suzanne Endsley

Idaho Panhandle National Forest

3815 Schreiber Way

Coeur dÕAlene, ID  83815

 

            Re: Grant Application from Coeur dÕAlene Forest Coalition

 

Dear Ms. Endsley:

 

            Enclosed is the grant RAC application from the Coeur dÕAlene Forest Coalition, together with several letters of support.  We have been encouraged by the Executive Director of the New Priorities Foundation that they will match this RAC grant with $15,000 this fall, 2006.  That application will be reviewed prior to the next RAC meeting. We have also been assured by the National Forest Foundation that they will fund the Coalition in the future, beginning in the fall of 2007.

 

            The Mission of the Coeur dÕAlene Forest Coalition is:  To activate the full potential of restoration forestry to enhance forest health, water quality, public safety and community economic vitality.

 

            The constituency of the Coalition is a combination of environmental organizations, timber companies, sawmill owners, loggers, community development agents, educators, conservation organizations, businesses and the public lands managers.  The age, gender and class is a broad spectrum.  The general unifying theme of the organizationÕs individuals is there love of nature and their desire to see productive use of forestlands in an ecologically sound manner.  Good jobs in the forests and mills and the spin-off businesses are considered a vital part of the community.

 

            The specific request from the RAC is for a $15,000 grant that will be used to match the New Priorities Foundation funds.  The work funded will continue pre-NEPA federal project analysis and input, field trips, educational forums, regular meetings and continuing outreach within the local and regional community.  Additionally, a monitoring protocol will be developed and a Òmulti-party teamÓ will be formed to insure that the work is done as proposed and to build a body of data regarding impacts.  There is also a need to develop Stewardship Contracting upon the Idaho Panhandle National Forest.  Finally, we expect to hold a Òcollaboration workshopÓ to bring the Coalition members and the Forest Service into a formal Memorandum of Understanding concerning ongoing collaboration.

 

Thank you.

 

                                                            Sincerely,

 

 

 

                                                            Jim Doran – Collaboration Facilitator

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cc: Jonathan Coe – Coeur dÕAlene Chamber