The Client
The Office of Species Conservation (OSC)

The Challenge
The State of Idaho, after several years of dialogue, decided to participate in a federally funded Forest Legacy program. Through this program, states are funded to acquire interests in private forestlands, compensating landowners for the value of development potential. Acquisition of these rights can only occur if the private landowner is willing to sell them. These lands continue to be managed as forests and the values associated with these forestlands protected. To be nationally approved as a legacy state and receive funding for fiscal year 2003, they needed to complete an Assessment of Need.

The Approach
This assessment required a great deal of consultation, mapping, and development of selection criteria; all in a very tight timeframe. OSC retained the services of the Northwest Natural Resource Group (NNRG) to prepare the assessment. NNRG pulled together meetings with all the stakeholders and a subcommittee of the Idaho Department of Lands stewardship committee. Together they designed the methodology and criteria needed to analyze and set up Idaho’s Forest Legacy areas, using the latest in GIS technology. They did an excellent job in keeping everyone informed at each step in the process.

The Product Solution
NNRG produced a high quality Assessment of Need that was approved by the Secretary of Agriculture in record time. The State of Idaho is moving forward with projects proposed in the assessment (see http://www2.state.id.us/lands/Forest%20Legacy/legacy-1.htm

Previous Story - Education Project    Next Story - Salmon Project