The USDA Forest Service announced the formation of a new Federal Advisory Committee to advise on a climate-informed approach to landscape management across national forest lands in Washington, Oregon and Northern California. These forests constitute the Northwest Forest Plan area, which provides a coordinated management direction for the lands administered by the USDA Forest Service and the USDI Bureau of Land Management in the region.

Among the appointed members are SEFS Professor Emeritus Dr. Jerry Franklin, who was a major contributor to the initial development of the Northwest Forest Plan, and Dr. Ryan Haugo, SEFS alumnus and current Director of Conservation Science with The Nature Conservancy.

The committee will make recommendations on modernizing the Northwest Forest Plan with the latest climate science to create sustainably-managed national forests that are resilient to wildfire, insects, disease, and other disturbances, while meeting the needs of local communities and incorporating traditional ecological knowledge. In particular, the committee will work to provide guidance to the Forest Service on reducing wildfire risk, restoring fire resilience, and enabling long-term ecological integrity for people, communities and natural resources.