THE LUBRECHT REPORT:A MID-WAY ASSESSMENT OF THE 10-YEAR WILDERNESS STEWARDSHIP CHALLENGE

Developed By:The Wilderness Advisory Group

April 2010

Presentation Overview

Background Current Status Looking Back – The First Five Year Looking Ahead – The Next Five Years

Background

The 10-Year Wilderness Stewardship Challenge (10YWSC) has the stated goal of having all wildernesses managed to a “minimum stewardship level” by 2014 The target date coincides with the 50th anniversary of the

Wilderness Act The “minimum stewardship level” is reached when a

wilderness scores 60-points or higher of a total possible 100-points on ten elements Elements include fire planning, recreation site inventory

and baseline workforce The 10YWSC was approved by Chief Dale Bosworth

and the National Leadership Team in the fall of 2003

Percent of Wildernesses Meeting Standard - National

FY 2005 FY 2006 FY 2007 FY 2008 FY 2009 FY 2010 FY 2011 FY 2012 FY 2013 FY 20140.0%

20.0%

40.0%

60.0%

80.0%

100.0%

Average Score - National

FY 2005 FY 2006 FY 2007 FY 2008 FY 2009 FY 2010 FY 2011 FY 2012 FY 2013 FY 20140.0

10.0

20.0

30.0

40.0

50.0

60.0

Average Score by Element - National

E1 E2 E3 E4 E5 E6 E7 E8 E9 E100.00

1.00

2.00

3.00

4.00

5.00

6.00

7.00

FY 05

FY 06

FY 07

FY 08

FY 09

Percent of Wildernesses Meeting Standard – Regional(FY 2009 data)

R1 R2 R3 R4 R5 R6 R8 R9 R10 Natl. Ave.

0.0%

20.0%

40.0%

60.0%

80.0%

100.0%

Average Score – Regional(FY 2009 data)

R1 R2 R3 R4 R5 R6 R8 R9 R10 Natl. Ave.

0.0

10.0

20.0

30.0

40.0

50.0

60.0

70.0

Percent of Wildernesses Meeting Standard – Regional

R1 R2 R3 R4 R5 R6 R8 R9 R100.0%

20.0%

40.0%

60.0%

80.0%

100.0%

FY 05

FY 06

FY 07

FY 08

FY 09

Average Score – Regional

R1 R2 R3 R4 R5 R6 R8 R9 R100.0

10.0

20.0

30.0

40.0

50.0

60.0

70.0

80.0

FY 05

FY 06

FY 07

FY 08

FY 09

Number of Wildernesses by “Progress Classes” – National(FY 2009 data)

At or Above (60+)

Near (50-59)

Approaching (35-49)

Well Below (0-34)

Did Not Report

Number of Wildernesses by “Progress Classes” – Regional(FY 2009 data)

R1 R2 R3 R4 R5 R6 R8 R9 R100

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

At or Above (60+)Near (50-59)Approaching (35-49)Well Below (0-34)Did Not Report

Progress Needed to Make the Challenge

FY 2009 FY 2010 FY 2011 FY 2012 FY 2013 FY 20140

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

450

Current Rate of Progress

Progress Needed

Looking Back – The First Five Years

What Has Worked Well: Regional Coordination

Setting a Specific Timeframe for Making Progress Focusing on Progressing in a Single Element Concentrating on Lagging Wilderness Areas Dedicating Professionals to Make Progress

Hiring detailers Bringing in Trainers Creating Strike Teams Having Region/Forest resource specialists work directly with

wilderness personnel

Increasing Cooperation between Wilderness Programs

Looking Back – The First Five Years

What Has Worked Well: (cont.) Functional Integration

Supporting Specialists to Work Directly with Wilderness Personnel

Line Officer Leadership and Commitment Emphasizing the Challenge as a Priority Leadership Accountability for Meeting the

Challenge Bold Action by Leadership

Looking Back – The First Five Years

What Has Worked Well: (cont.) Creative Use of Resources

Focusing Funding on the Challenge Creating a Challenge Grant at the Regional Level Applying Outfitter/Guide generated funds for Element 7

(Outfitters/Guides) Applying Inventorying & Monitoring funds for specialists

to work on plans and monitoring Using Volunteers Training

Looking Back – The First Five Years

What Has Worked Well: (cont.) Strength of Existing Programs

Relying on Dedicated & Experienced Wilderness Personnel

Revisiting and Adapting pre-10YWSC efforts

Looking Back – The First Five Years

What Has Not Worked Well: Lack of Functional Integration Inadequate Line Officer Leadership and

Commitment Insufficient Resources

Boots on the Ground Funding Training Partnerships and Volunteers

Looking Back – The First Five Years

What Has Not Worked Well: (cont.) Inadequate Policy Limitations in the structure of the

Challenge

Looking Ahead – The Next Five Years

Recommendations: Priority Actions for the Chief

Require each Regional Forester to develop, and submit to the Chief, a Regional Strategy to meet the 10YWSC

Organize and fund strike teams Establish internal grant funds Provide funds to supplement NFF grant

program Conduct assistance reviews for the Regions Develop video for the Chief

Looking Ahead – The Next Five Years

Recommendations: (cont.) Innovative Strategies for National

Wilderness Leadership Increase communication between WWSR

Director and the field Designate National 10YWSC Lead Conduct national leveling calls Conduct national calls to support individual

elements of the 10YWSC Improve educational resources for

implementing the 10YWSC

Looking Ahead – The Next Five Years

Recommendations: (cont.) Strategies for Regional Leadership

Develop region-wide approaches to meet the 10YWSC Charter Regional Wilderness Council to facilitate integration; Charter Regional, Zone or Forest WAG’s composed of specialists

from all resources; Charter integrated regional teams around specific elements

(Strike Teams) or to assist units in most need; Develop integrated region-wide funding strategies around

specific elements; Hold funding aside to allow competition from individual forests

to make progress on the Challenge; Hold funding aside for “model” forests to make progress on

specific elements; Create and fill a Regional 10YWSC Coordinator;

Looking Ahead – The Next Five Years

Recommendations: (cont.) Strategies for Regional Leadership

Develop region-wide approaches to meet the 10YWSC (cont.) Identify regional Subject Matter Experts (SME) to assist other units; Incorporate meeting 10YWSC in region-wide Business Plans,

emphasis areas, and program direction; Conduct region-wide training and meetings to share lessons learned;

Hold region-wide “leveling” calls for consistency in scoring; Create and fill regional internship positions on units of most need; Utilize Enterprise Teams to complete plans, coordinate with

specialists, and complete evaluation and/or monitoring; Create and fill regional detail positions that could spend time in the

region assisting where most needed and/or focus on specific elements;

Develop regional forum for sharing successes/Regional support group (web based, video conferencing, conference calls);

Looking Ahead – The Next Five Years

Recommendations: (cont.) Strategies for Regional Leadership

Develop region-wide approaches to meet the 10YWSC (cont.) Identify and support staff with ability to focus on Wilderness; Include more specific budget advice related to the Challenge from

the Regions and Forests; Require Forests and Districts to develop work plans specific to

10YWSC; Look at other opportunities for funding for the Challenge such as

Stimulus; Include progress on the Challenge in annual line officer

performance reviews; Require training for all wilderness managers; Encourage training for non-wilderness staff; and Adopt models of successful staffing