SENSE OF URGENCY USFS studies suggest that as many as 57 million forested acres will experience substantial increases in housing density between the year 2000 and 2030, with the lion’s share in the South. Working forest landscapes are widely acknowledged as a vital part of the south and especially the south’s natural resources infrastructure.Protection of these landscapes is critical not only to retention of family-supporting jobs in rural communities but they are also the source of environmentally-preferable building and consumer products, contribute significantly to energy independence and security and climate change solutions and are vital to address human health and quality of life needs, water quantity and quality, essential wildlife habitats and recreation. VISION To develop and promote innovative approaches to ensure the perpetuation of forest cover on large forested blocks across the South, to achieve a variety of societal, economic and environmental benefits.
GOAL To protect 20 Million acres of actively managed forest land across the South by 2020.
Scope –Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia.
Longleaf Pine Seedlings
GUIDING PRINCIPLES
The Partnership will serve in a catalytic role to develop and implement strategies to address the conservation of forest lands at a large scale.
The Partnership will provide a forum for coordination while the conservation actions will be implemented by participating organizations.
The Partnership will be a loose coalition rather than a formal organization.
Lobbying, where such is appropriate, will be conducted by partner organizations, not the Partnership.
We will encourage and serve to aid in collaboration on messaging.
The Partnership will serve as a platform for collaboration and coordination, but tracking of progress toward goals will be the responsibility of member organizations.
