BOISE FOREST COALITION MEETING NOTES

JUNE 19, 2012

Recorded by Larry Hauder and Bob Rainville

Meeting Objectives

  1. To identify the West Emmett Analysis Area and reasons for its selection
  2. To describe the Forest Service's planning process and how the Coalition's recommendations will be used
  3. To learn participants’ interests and expectations
  4. To develop a regular meeting schedule
  5. To update Coalition members on the status of the Clear Creek watershed planning process and how their recommendations are being used.

Participants

Brian Hawthorne Blue Ribbon Coalition

Cailin O'Brien-Feeney Winter Wildlands Alliance

David Dudley Ola Resident

Elt Hasbrouck Valley County Commissioner

Eric Faull Zip Idaho

Gordon Cruickshank Valley County Commissioner

Herb Malany Retired Forester

Jamie Anderson Boise County Commissioner

John McCarthy Wilderness Society

Jonathan Oppenheimer Idaho Conservation League

Kate Thorpe Idaho Conservation League

Ken Postma Representative Valley County Commissioners

Kurt Fesenmyer Trout Unlimited

Mike Edwards Southwest Idaho Mountain Biking Association

Rachel Vandenburg Boise Cascade Wood Products LLC

Robbin Schindele Back Country Horsemen of Idaho

Sharon Pratt Gem County Commissioner/WCH RC&D

Sheryl Stelling WCH RC&D

Bryan Ricker Senator Crapo Staff

Rick Ward Idaho Dept. Fish and Game

John Riling Emmett Ranger District

John Thornton Emmett Ranger District

Kari Grover-Wier Lowman Ranger District

Lisa Nutt Boise National Forest

ML Smith Boise National Forest

Paul Bryant Boise National Forest

Boise Forest Coalition’s Involvement In The West Emmett Analysis Area (WEAA)

Boise Forest Coalition’s task in the WEAA will be to reach agreement on management recommendations that will be used by the forest in preparing management plans for the area.

Coalition Member’s Interests In The WEAA

·  Management of the dispersed recreation sites.

·  Minimize unintended consequences.

·  Balance recreational interests with the timber management and trail use.

·  Consider the overlap between Bureau of Land Management, Boise National Forest, state land and private land.

·  Preservation of the integrity of the coalition’s collaborative effort by incorporating coalition recommendations into project plans.

·  Enhancement of native fish.

·  Put people back to work in the forest.

·  Expansion of natural resource production including, mining, recreation, timber, grazing.

·  Learning the coalition’s objectives. Achieving a common understanding of the process. Elimination of miscommunication and disappointment in the results.

·  Management of winter wildlife habitat as related to migration and recreation.

·  ATV damage to property near private homes.

·  Get out in the field ASAP, especially in Squaw Creek drainage.

·  Implementation of sustainable travel management of off- road vehicles.

·  Maintenance of viable communities with a variety of interests. How can we meet all our needs? (2 people.)

·  Managing forests to provide a sustainable supply of products. Support for this collaborative effort.

·  Water quality protection.

·  Roadless area protection.

·  Coordination among agencies and local citizens.

·  Replication of the Clear Creek coalition.

·  Generation of income for schools and funds for improvements through better vegetation management. All needs should be met if the process is successful.

·  Trail management.

·  Willing to support project work by lending animals and riders.

·  Restoration of ponderosa pine.

·  Reduction in fire risks.

·  Working together with a variety of interest groups, i.e. recreation with loggers.

·  Relationships among interest groups are important.

·  Integration of Fish and Game objectives into resource management activities.

·  Prioritization of resource production for job creation. Hopefully we can all work together.

·  Learning a process with fellow citizens that will create a model for how we work together in the future to achieve desired outcomes.

·  Ecological restoration

·  Support for FS employees in doing the job we’ve hired them to do.

WEAA Field Trip

·  Coalition members’ recommendations for topics to be included on the field trip are:

o  Watersheds

o  Vegetation diversity

o  Fire management issues

o  Wildlife/Grazing interface and issues.

o  Roadmaps and explanation of terms, ie. Closure, demolish, decommissioning.

o  Fish and culvert issues

o  Recreation opportunities

o  Dispersed camping

o  ATV uses.

o  A BFS recreational field specialist.

·  The Boise National Forest would plan the field trip, arrange for transportation, and provide information at each stop.

·  Coalition participants will bring their own lunches and drinks. Boots are recommended.

·  Bob Rainville will send out a DOODLE POLL to determine the best date for the field trip.

Decisions On Future Meetings

Future meetings will be held the first Thursday of each month beginning September 6, October 4, and November 1.

Next Meeting

·  The next meeting will be in at the Emmett Dept. of Agriculture meeting room and will begin at 1 pm and end at 5.

·  Topics will include a discussion of coalition protocols and possibly an update on the Clear Creek Watershed project

Assignment

Prior to next meeting, invitations will be extended to:

·  WEAA grazing lessees (John Thornton)

·  Tribal governments (John Thornton)

·  Hunting organizations (Steering committee)

·  State Dept of Lands (John Thornton)

·  Area Ranchers (Robbin Schindle)

Coalition Data Requests

·  Maps showing all existing roads. (Request from Dave, homeowner.)

·  Description of research being pursued in the Research Natural Area in the WEAA.