US Forestry Program - Foothills Landscape Collaboration

Our guest speaker for the May Foothills TU meeting was Mike Brod with the US Forest Service office out of Gainesville. Mike is a Staff Officer with the Forest Service specializing in Fire and Natural Resources and a long time resident of Rabun County.

This timely presentation by Mike will focus on encouraging public participation in the Foothills Landscape Community Collaboration. The purpose of this project is to create, restore and maintain ecosystems that are more resilient to natural disturbances. Specifically, the Forest Service is seeking to enhance and provide quality habitat for rare and declining species, as well as desired game and non-game species; to reduce hazardous fuel loading across the landscape to diminish damaging wildfires; to improve soil and water quality; to provide sustainable recreation and access opportunities; and to awaken and strengthen a connection to these lands for all people.

From the Chattahoochee National Forest website:
We Need YOU: We need your knowledge and insights right from the start in order to plan the right work in the right places for the right reasons. Share what you know about the Foothills Landscape with us and others through this collaboration. Use this forum to tell your community what you care about and why. Describe what you want and need from this landscape...and also what you can and do give. Learn from the knowledge that others share. And consider the many other perspectives revealed to all of us through this collaboration.

Check out the next seminars and field trips at  FoothillsProjects Get your voice heard at these seminars so that your interest are included in the planning of the public lands. In this case the foothills of N Ga.  Don't be silent... your favorite stream could become an ATV trail.    Can't make it, then go to  http://www.tinyurl.com/FoothillsLandscapeCollaborate and make your interest known on their blog.  They want to hear from you.