Stakeholders Work for Comprehensive Restoration

The Comprehensive Implementation Working Group (CIWG) is one subgroup of the Four Forest Restoration Initiative (4FRI). CIWG’s projects help to round out the broad suite of restoration activities and focus on those that are not covered by contracted mechanical treatments and prescribed and managed fire. What does that mean? In this issue, you’ll read about some of their projects. CIWG members work together to solicit funding for, and get out in the field to do, projects that include spring and stream restoration, wildlife habitat improvements, and vegetation management such as plantings and removal of invasive weeds.
This year, CIWG is getting into full swing. Natural Channel Design has completed survey and design work for restoration of T-Six and Hoxworth Springs. We expect dirt to be moving at T-Six by later this summer. The Forest Service is compiling a list of comprehensive restoration projects across the four forests in an Excel spreadsheet. The spreadsheet tracks the status of NEPA and any required surveys for each project by type (project types are springs, stream channels, noxious weeds, wildlife, grassland and meadows, roads, and range).
Once all required NEPA and survey work are completed, the project is shovel-ready. Then the CIWG can move forward locating partners and funding to complete the project. The Forest Service will transfer the spreadsheet to a public access database later this year. One such source of funds may be the National Forest Foundation, who met with the CIWG in May to discuss opportunities to move comprehensive restoration projects forward.Four Forest Restoration Initiative – Copyright 2018. All rights reserved.