2004 Matching Awards Program – Full Proposal Application

A. Project Executive Summary: The purpose of this project is to implement two on-the-ground Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) fuels reduction and restoration projects within the Colville National Forest. NEPA permitting was completed in April for the “Burnt Valley” and the “Orient” WUI projects through the Categorical Exclusions (CE) process. The projects will be implemented with the use of Stewardship authorities.

The funding requested will assist in the Coalition’s services identified below. The Coalition’s “community collaboration” component has been focused on these two restoration/fuels reduction projects for several months. This Project will move from the planning phase and the “community collaboration” phase to the on-the-ground implementation and monitoring phases of these two CE/WUI/Stewardship projects.

The Colville Coalition will provide the following services for these two stewardship projects:

1. Conduct the requisite “community collaboration” for the projects, as required by the National Fire Plan and by the Stewardship Handbook.

2. Act as the public relations agent for developing a public perception for Stewardship Projects and Community Wildfire Protection Plans,

3. Provide Stewardship Project promotion.

4. Provide a public educational component for the projects within the communities where the projects are being done.

5. Work with the Spokane Community College and WA State Work Source on a job training program for contractors.

6. Provide the Third Party Monitoring and reporting for the projects.

7. Work with partners and agencies on the creation of the Community Protection Fire Plans in the vicinity of the projects.

The educational component of the Project is designed to give citizens, with a focus on landowners, an understanding of these issues and an ability to effectively work with the land managers, owners and agencies.

Each of these CE/WUI/Stewardship Project will address 4,500 acres of overstocked forest stands that are adjacent to private communities. 1,000 acres of each project can be mechanically treated with the balance treated by prescribed fire. These two projects, therefore, will provide fuels reduction and restoration for approximately 2,000 acres through mechanical thinning prescriptions. The 7,000 acres of prescribed fire will be done “in-house” by the USFS.

B. Project Goals and Objectives:

o Justification of need for the project: Both of these two communities are directly threatened by wildfire. These two projects are the initial steps for the Colville National Forest in the realm of working with local communities to implement fuels reduction projects that will be supported by the communities themselves through collaboration planning. Without the collaborative community fire plans the Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) finds it very difficult to acquire the National Fire Plan implementation funding for defensible space within the private land holdings.

o Benefits to the National Forest and surrounding communities: The physical thinning of the fuels laden stands will provide a “lay-down zone” should fire approach these communities. This thinning also has the long-term benefit of a more productive forest stand that could be thinned again in ten to twenty years. With Community Fire Plans in place the DNR and other partners will be able to acquire the National Fire Plan implementation funding for individual defensible space for the local homeowners. Additionally, the local communities will understand that these projects are for their benefit and will begin to change their perception about the Forest Service and community input.

o Community involvement in planning and implementation: Both communities have already been apprised of these two projects through efforts of the Colville Community Forestry Coalition and by the two “open houses” held by the Forest Service in each community during the NEPA permitting process. Educational Forums have been identified on the following topics: 1) Community Wildfire Protection Plans; 2) Definition of the “Wildland Urban Interface” (WUI) Relative to Wildfire and Human Settlements; 3) Stewardship Contracting Tools for Forestry Professionals; 4) Variable Density Thinning Prescriptions in the Public Forest Landscape; 5) Defensible Space and Your Home; and 5) Topics to be determined. These forums will be open and targeted to the public, forestry professionals, agencies, and community leaders. The Chewelah Mountain Learning Center will provide the venue for these Forums. Some of these Forums will be followed by smaller and more focused action oriented Workshops. These Workshops will be done with the cooperation of the Spokane Falls Community College, the USFS and DNR, the Colville Job Service Center and the Chewelah Peak Learning Center.

o Long-term benefits to the community: The initial and obvious benefit to the local communities is the reduction in fuels in the National Forest adjacent to their homes. The second benefit will be the creation of the Community Wildfire Protection Plans for each community. Details within these plans will insure successful firefighting, or evacuation, if a fire should ignite in the area through the coordination with the local fire districts. A re-invigorated sense of authentic public participation will come from the community collaboration conducted within the Colville community Forestry Coalition.

o How the results will be shared and replicated elsewhere: These two WUI/CE/Stewardship projects are the first of many being proposed by the Colville National Forest with support from the Colville Coalition. This collaborative process will be replicated immediately within those upcoming WUI projects. The expectation is that as several of these relatively small WUI projects are successfully planned and implemented, the Forest Service and the Coalition will collaborate on several larger landscape scale fuels reduction stewardship projects that will provide forest health and productivity for the long-term. The “commuity collaboration” being conducted by the Colville Coalition is unique within Region 6 and could be easily used as a model elsewhere in the Region for both WUI and Stewardship Projects on federal lands.

C. Methods to Achieve Objectives:

o How we will achieve the goals and objectives: The collaborative process already begun by the Coalition will focus on the two project communities. The neighborhood contacts and meetings during the development of the Community Fire Plans will engage the local homeowners. The use of media “outreach” and “reporting” will further make other communities aware of this type of project. All of this collaboration will prevent the appeal or injunctive lawsuits against the projects.

o Specific hands-on steps that we will take: The community collaboration through the Colville Coalition will require at least monthly meetings within each of the two communities. The Coalition will cooperate with The Lands Council in the door-to-door outreach for the Community Wildfire Protection Plans and will participate in the neighborhood meetings and in the drafting of said plans. The Coalition will work with the WSU Extension Office and the Spokane Community college and the Chewelah Peak Learning Center in the presentation of the several Seminars to the general public. The Coalition will continuously provide media coverage for the two projects. On-the-ground monitoring of the projects will be performed by The Lands Council in conjunction with a committee of the Colville Coalition identified for each specific project.

o Implementation Timetable; Tasks; Activities; & Responsibilities: (See the following table.)

o Working with other organizations on this project: The Colville Coalition will work with the WSU Extension Office, the Spokane Community College and the Chewelah Peak Learning Center on the educational forums. The Coalition will work with the Washington State Job Source and the Spokane Community College for retraining workshops or classes appropriate for stewardship contracting and fuels reduction implementation. The Lands Council will cooperate with the Coalition on the third Party Monitoring for these two projects. The Colville National Forest will continue to participate in the collaborative process that the Colville Coalition has begun for each project. As the Community Wildfire Protection Plans are completed the Coalition will work closely with the DNR to acquire funding for the implementation of individual defensible space for homeowners within these project areas. Addditionally, the Colville National Forest is now considered part of a single administrative unit along with the Wenatchee national Forest and the Okanogan National Forest. Successes within the Colville national Forest can be used as educational tools and models for the other two Forests.

D. Expected Results:

o What will be different at the end of the grant: If funded, these two WUI Stewardship projects will lead to the fuels reduction thinning of approximately 2000 acres of densely fueled National Forest stands adjacent to the communities known as Burnt Valley and Orient, Washington. The thinning of these acres will supply material to the local mills for wood products and will create and support employment within the general Colville area. These projects will also successfully initiate “stewardship contracting” within the Colville National Forest that will have far reaching future effects upon the land management success within the Colville National Forest. These two projects will demonstrate that “community collaboration” can have a positive impact upon land management planning and practices within the Colville National Forest. This will encourage citizen participation in future public land use decisions. Two communities will have Community Wildfire Protection Plans completed which will greatly assist them in the acquisition of defensible space implementation funds through the National Fire Plan grants program being coordinated by the DNR. Through the intensive public education, outreach and media use, the communities within the northeastern counties of Washington State will be aware of the process and forum for “community collaboration”. They will also be aware of the possibility of creating Community Wildfire Protection Plans for their locale and have a model at their fingertips. The Third Party Monitoring of the projects will provide the explanation of the benefits to the land and forest resources gained through the projects.

o Quantification of the outcomes of the project and how they are measured: The number of acres treated mechanically for fuels reduction will be identifiable on maps and on the ground. The number of tons of material utilized by the wood products industry will be recorded and available. An approximation of the number of man hours and wages earned relative to the implementation of the projects and the processing of the material removed can be determined. The number of homes or owners participating in the Community Wildfire Protection Plans will be determined by the door to door outreach and the neighborhood meetings. The number of volunteers and the hours spent during the Third Party Monitoring will be tracked. The participation of individuals in the ongoing community collaboration, within the educational seminars and workshops and in job re-training will be recorded. The enthusiasm of the Forest Service staff, once these two stewardship projects are implemented, to plan, contract and implement further stewardship projects will become obvious within the Colville national Forest by the end of this grant.

E. Monitoring and Evaluation:

o Monitoring and Demonstration of the Effects of the Projects: Even though the Stewardship Handbook does not require Third Party Monitoring, the Coalition will establish a monitoring committee to work with The Lands Council to monitor the impacts of the projects. Third Party Monitoring will determine the extent of actual fuels reduction on each projects as well as “leave-tree” damage, soil compaction, wildlife value improvements and riparian protection, where appropriate.

o Reporting to the Community: The Lands Council, with the Coalition monitoring committee, will prepare a report on each of these two projects. This report will address each of the on-the-ground components monitored, as well as the participation of individuals, the number of acres treated, the tons of material removed and utilized by the wood products industry, the approximate wage/hours supported by the project, and the cooperation of partners. The Community Wildfire Protection Plans will report on the number of ownerships that participated in the Fire Plans and how the Fire Plans will benefit each of the neighborhoods. The Coalition will use the media and public meetings to report to the community at large on the benefits derived from these first two WUI/Stewardship Projects within the Colville National Forest. The goal will be to gain collaborative support for many more such projects.

F. Organizational Background: The Colville Coalition, organized in late 2001, is comprised of environmentalists, loggers and equipment operators, professional foresters, mill owners, educators, local government, agencies and citizens at large. The Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws were adopted in April of 2003. The necessary committees, including the Community Fire Plan Committee, the Stewardship Committee, and the Finance Committee have been appointed.

In 2002 the Colville Coalition was instrumental in the resolution of disputes between the timber industry and the environmental community over the Record of Decision on the Quartzite Project. Once resolved, has allowed 14 million board feet of merchantable material to go to the local mills under ecological prescriptions . A similar negotiation is currently underway regarding the 4000 acre Deadman Creek project, prior to the Record of Decision.

A strategic decision was made in July of 2002, to address the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) fire threats to the communities within the Colville National Forest as a first priority. This would allow this Coalition of divergent viewpoints to reach some successes on projects that include thinning near and around homes. These two CE/WUI projects have gained a great deal of support within the public at large and particularly in the areas adjacent to the projects. The Coalition has begun to cooperate with the Washington Department of Natural Resources on the development of Community Wildfire Protection Plans for these two areas. This grant will allow these efforts to materialize.

Mission: To demonstrate the full potential of restoration forestry to enhance forest health, community safety and economic vitality.

Objectives:

· To design and implement forest restoration and fuels reduction projects that demonstrate innovative approaches to forestry.

· To demonstrate how a diverse coalition of stakeholders can work together to successfully promote restoration forestry and community protection from wildfire.

· To improve rural community economic vitality by including job training as a key component of forest restoration and fuels reduction projects.

· To use the projects to educate the public about the ecological and socio-economic benefits of restoration forestry and fuels reduction strategies.

· To develop model forest restoration and fuels reduction projects that can be emulated in other regions of the country.

The Colville Coalition functionally serves the three counties of northeastern Washington: Ferry County, Stevens County and Pend O’Reille County. All three County Commissions have formally shown support for the Coalition’s work and participate in the collaborative meetings. The Pend O’Reille County districts of the Colville National Forest include the Selkirk Mountains which are a high priority of the NFF.

G. Budget: (See attached financial plan sheet).

H. Attachment: (See attached).

1. Implementation Timetable.

2. Budget – Financial Plan.

3. Board list.

4. Biographical sketch of professional staff.

5. Letter from Forest Supervisor Rick Brazell.

6. Map of the project areas.

7. IRS letter demonstrating non-profit status.

8. Un-audited accounting of finances.

Board List:

Officers:

President – Lloyd McGee

Vice President – Robert Playfair, Sr.

Secretary – Jim Doran

Treasurer – Bob Heater

Board: Peter Griessmann

Steve West

Mike Petersen

Matt Scott

Tim Coleman

Tom Baun

John Eminger

Maurice Williamson

Biographical Sketch of Professional Staff:

The Project Coordinator, Jim Doran, has managed several forest resource projects in the past, including the Okanogan Regional Small Diameter Wood Initiative, the Value Added Product Portfolio and the creation of the Partnership for a Sustainable Methow. Mr. Doran has also been a founder of the North Central Washington Business Loan Fund, a Board member for seven years and its President for three years. He sat as a Board member of the Okanogan Economic Development Council for five years. Mr. Doran was the Mayor of the Town of Twisp from 1996 to 2000. Jim has been the coordinator for the Colville Community Forestry Coalition since its inception in 2001. Jim Doran has become a frequent speaker for community groups and organizations, university classes, and professional associations on the theme of Community Forestry: Ecology, Economy and Community.

Peter Greissmann from the Washington State University Extension Office, will assist in the educational components of this project. The WSU Extension Office will provide the grant administration functions for this project. Tim Coleman from the Kettle Range Conservation Group, and Travis Coletti and Mike Petersen from The Lands Council will assist in the outreach and creation of the Community Fire Plans and with the Third Party Monitoring. John Eminger, owner and manager of the 49 Degrees North Ski Resort and Lloyd McGee, from Vaagen Bros. Lumber, Inc., will assist in specific tasks regarding stewardship functions with the Forest Service during this project. Maurice Williamson, of Williamson Consulting foresters, will assist in the design and review of stewardship functions. Each one of these Coalition members will bring with them in-kind contributions to this project by virtue of their technical expertise and specific functions in fulfilling this project.

Un-audited Accounting of Finances

2002 Private donations for Coalition startup. $ 8,500.00

2003 Resource Advisory Council (Title II funds)

for Flowery Trail fuels reduction project. $ 5,000.00

2003 National Forest Foundation – CAP funding

for capacity building $15,000.00

2004 Private contributions to keep the Coalition

Active. $ 4,000.00

Total Funds 2002 – 2004 $32,500.00

NOTE: A significant portion of the activities and ongoing business operations have been secured through in-kind donations that are not listed above.