The Chair's Initiative of Western Governors’ Association Chair and Idaho Governor Brad Little will examine the interdependent relationships between western communities, state and federal land resource management entities, as well as the role that local communities play in successful land planning and management processes.
The final workshop for the Chair initiative of Idaho Gov. Brad Little, Working Lands, Working Communities, convened federal, state and local policymakers and stakeholders to discuss emerging issues, share success stories and provide a forum for the development of bipartisan strategies to improve cross-boundary land and natural resource management.
This webinar will evaluate opportunities for communities to leverage technical tools and federal planning processes to increase their engagement in land management decision-making. Panelists also highlighted technical platforms that can help communities make informed decisions on mitigation and restoration priorities in pre- and post-wildfire scenarios.
‘Out West’ Episode: Supporting Cross-Boundary Conservation
In this epsidoe, WGA Policy Advisor Kevin Moss sits down with Emily Fife, Utah State Conservationist for the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), to discuss how NRCS programs help unify conservation and restoration activities across public and private lands. The two discuss opportunities for interested landowners to leverage NRCS programs to support species conservation, how NRCS works with western communities on landscape planning, and why current drought and wildfire stressors require coordinated responses across ownership boundaries.
‘Out West’ Episode: Fixing America’s Forests
In this episode, WGA Policy Advisor Jonah Seifer is joined by Ben Wudtke, Executive Director of the Intermountain Forest Association, to explore successful cases of managing complex forest landscapes in the 21st century. Ben and Jonah discuss how collaborative, all-lands interventions can effectively save communities and ecosystems from epidemic mountain pine beetles and uncharacteristic wildfire, building long-term resilience in our forests.
‘Out West’ Episode: Post-Wildfire Restoration Challenges
'Post-Fire Restoration Challenges' explores the challenges that wildfire-affected communities face and the available resources to help them recover.
Listen in as WGA Director of Federal Relations and Strategic Initiatives Troy Timmons speaks with the Founder and CEO of Coalitions & Collaboratives, Inc., Carol Ekarius, about improving community capacity to address restoration needs, federal programs that offer assistance and opportunities to enhance the implementation of both pre-fire mitigation and post-fire restoration work.
'Out West' Episode: Agricultural Workforce in the West
'Agricultural Workforce in the West,' explores the challenges that communities face as more agricultural workers retire, the barriers that young people face when attempting to start a career in the industry, and opportunities to address the issue by expanding apprenticeship programs on family farms and ranches.
Listen in as WGA Policy Advisor, Kevin Moss, speaks with Kate Greenberg, the Colorado Commissioner of Agriculture, and Sarah Wenzel-Fisher, the Executive Director of the Quivira Coalition, a non-profit organization based in Santa Fe, New Mexico that is dedicated to building economic and ecological resilience on western working landscapes. Together they discuss effective workforce training programs and partnerships that can help young people develop the necessary tools for a successful career in agriculture.
As part of Idaho Gov. Brad Little’s ‘Working Lands, Working Communities Initiative,’ WGA distributed a survey to government agencies and key stakeholders soliciting feedback on ways to improve the interdependent relationships between western communities and resource management entities, as well as the role that local communities play in successful land planning and management processes.
