Times-Herald
SACRAMENTO — Two government agencies, a nonprofit and a logging firm signed a cooperation agreement to protect public lands and animals in California, the Mare Island-based U.S. Forest Service’s Pacific Southwest Region officials announced.
The Forest Service, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE), the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, and Sierra Pacific Industries signed a Memorandum of Understanding outlining their agreement to work together to conserve California spotted owls and other wildlife while coordinating wildfire risk reduction measures on federal, state and SPI lands in California, the announcement says.
“The Forest Service is committed to working with our state agency partners and the timber industry in California to conserve wildlife, and reduce the risk of wildfire,” U.S. Forest Service’s Pacific Southwest Region Regional Forester Randy Moore said in the announcement. “We would like to thank the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for their work and encouragement in this area, and we look forward to our continued collaboration. We believe this MOU is an excellent example of how government and the private sector can work together to address important safety and environmental issues.”
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Sacramento office supervisor Jennifer Norris, said, “This agreement is an important step for the future of California spotted owls. Collaboration and partnership is essential for the management of these sensitive wildlife habitats.”
The agreement furthers vital efforts to mitigate the impacts of damaging wildfire and protect sensitive wildlife habitat, CAL FIRE director and California’s state forester Chief Ken Pimlott said.
“The agreement leverages our combined resources to establish a strategic conservation framework to help protect over two million acres of forestland in areas where our respective land ownership and responsibilities align.”
Under the agreement, the U.S. Forest Service, CAL FIRE, and SPI will coordinate their respective fire management strategies, and share technical information regarding the location of sensitive wildlife habitats. This coordination will increase the effectiveness of these efforts on over two million acres of federal, state and private land in California.
Joining in the agreement is the Nation Fish and Wildlife Foundation, an independent, nonprofit created by Congress in 1984. It’s the nation’s largest conservation grant-maker, and works with the public and private sectors to protect and restore wildlife, plants and habitats, according to the announcement.
Under the agreement, the foundation will work with the government agencies and SPI to identify high priority conservation projects on federal, state and private lands that can help support the agreement’s conservation objectives.
“The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation is pleased to join with the U.S. Forest Service, CAL FIRE, and SPI to implement conservation opportunities in California that will benefit California spotted owl and other species,” Jonathan Birdsong, director of the Foundation’s western regional office said. “We look forward to implementing conservation projects in California that will benefit people and wildlife for years to come.”
Mark Emmerson, SPI’s Chairman and Chief Financial Officer, added that his firm, thanks “the U.S. Forest Service, CAL FIRE and National Fish and Wildlife Foundation for coming together with our company to implement a coordinated strategy for conserving California spotted owls and other wildlife while reducing wildfire risks in California. We believe this approach to wildfire risk reduction and wildlife management in California is a win-win for the public and private sectors, and will result in greater protection for communities and wildlife.”
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