Sustainable Forestry Partnership

Mission

Establish an environmentally and economically sustainable forestry industry in Arizona utilizing small-diameter Ponderosa Pine and other under-utilized wood species requiring thinning and restoration.

Purpose

Unite the public in addressing issues facing southwestern forests and communities for a common purpose-promoting ecological-based forest initiatives enhancing sustainable forests and employment opportunities.

Objectives

Respond to changes in forest products industry in Arizona, addressing forest restoration activities decreasing the risk of catastrophic wildfire and offering solutions for the promotion of small-diameter timber.

Assist individuals and businesses that previously relied upon large industry, identifying products and markets that utilize existing machinery, equipment and human capital increasing economic viability.

Transition existing forest products industry leaders toward vertically integrated, ecologically sustainable forest management and industry relationship.

Evaluate the feasibility of revitalizing closed saw mill facilities for the purpose of developing an innovative forest products industry, supported by a procurement cooperative, resource sorting facility and development center

Enable communities to enhance "capacity building" strategies that encourage diversification of the existing economic base, providing sustainable solutions to employment and environmental issues.

Strategies

Develop and implement a public information campaign informing the public on forest health issues, catastrophic wildfire and potential markets.

Improve the health of Arizonas forests by providing opportunities for expanded ecosystem management.

Identify and implement appropriate organizational structures and technologies that increase available capital and technical assistance to small businesses.

Identify and implement appropriate organizational structures and technologies that increase available capital and technical assistance to small businesses.

Facilitate the continued development and capacity of the Arizona Sustainable Forestry Partnership.

Accomplishments

Developed a diverse stakeholder involvement in the Partnership.

Documented magnitude of thinning and restoration needs on the Ponderosa Pine forests in Arizona.

Conducted workshops oriented toward industry transition and new product commercialization

Created an industry database network for Apache and Navajo Counties.

Co-hosted a Forest Health Forum in Northern Arizona July 6, 1999.

Submitted testimony to the Arizona House Natural Resource Committee.

Obtained Government Re-invention Laboratory Status.

Current Project

Public information campaign targeting urban cores in Arizona.

Development and implementation of a log sort and merchandising yard.

Organizational structure for a forest products purchasing entity.

Accelerate the development and capacity of communities within the Partnership.

Continue garnering support for forest restoration and product development.

Current/Past Funders

Arizona Community Foundation

US Forest Service - Rural Community Assistance

Four Corners Forestry Initiative

Arizona Department of Commerce

USDA Rural Development - Rural Business Enterprise Grant

USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service - Capacity Building

 

SUMMARY

 

The purpose of this project is to develop a strategy--culminating in a system whichwill help develop and coordinate projects that will facilitate healthy ecosystems and atthe same time develop a sustainable fiber (timber) industry cluster in Northern Arizona.This will be accomplished as a result of the organization’s efforts to defineresources, coordinate initiatives, reach consensus, leverage capital resources, and marketand promote the region as a prime location for small and emerging natural resourceenterprises based on sustainable ecological principles.

When implemented this project will serve to reinvigorate declining sectors of theregional agribusiness economy, improve the regions forest ecology, assist new and emergingbusinesses with opportunities, and will provide significant new "environmentalfriendly" employment opportunities in traditional areas where raw materials andresources are available.

Need: The communities involved in this project have suffereda severe decline in the economic base for the forest products sector. The decrease is due,in large part, to closure or reduction of business activities related to the NationalForest, and overall decline of agricultural economies. According to a recently releasedstudy by the Grand Canyon Trust, resource-based jobs on the Colorado Plateau have declinedby half in the last fifteen years, as a percentage of total employment. There is a needfor jobs in the area, but more importantly, there is a need for diversification of the jobbase in response to the changing economy and natural environment.