WASHINGTON OUTLOOK.As we enter our 125th year of tree and forest advocacy, AMERICAN FORESTS American Forests is a nonprofit conservation organization that promotes healthy forests and urban tree planting. The organization was established in 1875 as the American Forestry Association, by physician/horticulturist John Aston Warder and a group of like-minded citizens introduces a national policy agenda for ecosystem restoration Humans depend greatly on ecosystem services. These services vary greatly and include such things as erosion control, water and air purification, food, recreation, a list that could go on endlessly. and maintenance. The agenda, which presents core values and goals to guide our policy activities, will evolve as we learn and as social, economic, and environmental conditions change. We welcome your comments. The agenda focuses on helping communities plan and implement actions to restore and maintain healthy ecosystems and communities. It has three goals: * Provide tools and resources to help build community capacity to assess ecological ecological emanating from or pertaining to ecology. ecological biome see biome. ecological climax the state of balance in an ecosystem when its inhabitants have established their permanent relationships with each issues related to trees and forests, and to plan and implement actions. * Increase public and private investment in tree and forest actions that restore and maintain healthy ecosystems and communities. * Heighten height·en v. height·ened, height·en·ing, height·ens v.tr. 1. To raise or increase the quantity or degree of; intensify. 2. To make high or higher; raise. v.intr. public awareness of the interdependence in·ter·de·pen·dent adj. Mutually dependent: "Today, the mission of one institution can be accomplished only by recognizing that it lives in an interdependent world with conflicts and overlapping interests" of ecosystems and communities through accessible research information, inclusive policy dialogue, and communication. Despite the best efforts of public and private entities, America's urban and rural forests are damaged and are threatened by human and natural forces: sprawl, lack of care, poor harvesting practices, wildfire, and insects Insects See also ants; bees; biology; butterflies; zoology. acarophobia a fear of itching or of the mites or ticks that cause it. aeroscepsy, aeroscepsis perception by means of the air, said to be a function of the antennae of insects. and disease. In many places ecosystem integrity is at risk. When trees and forests are damaged, ecological services such as air and water quality and wildlife and fish habitat are degraded de·grad·ed adj. 1. Reduced in rank, dignity, or esteem. 2. Having been corrupted or depraved. 3. Having been reduced in quality or value. and nearby communities suffer, sometimes showing signs of economic and social decline. In order to work toward a vision of sustainable ecosystems and communities, we believe it is necessary to focus on actions to restore and maintain trees and forests as critical components and indicators of healthy ecosystems. Americans from all walks of life, cultural and ethnic backgrounds, and political persuasions care deeply about trees and forests. We believe that actions to restore and maintain forest ecosystems Forest ecosystem The entire assemblage of organisms (trees, shrubs, herbs, bacteria, fungi, and animals, including people) together with their environmental substrate (the surrounding air, soil, water, organic debris, and rocks), interacting inside a defined represent a common objective among diverse interests and will find broad support in communities across the nation. CORE BELIEFS AND PRINCIPLES 1. Technical tools, information, and financial assistance are essential to help communities assess ecological issues related to trees and forests, and to plan and implement actions. 2. Private landowners must be reached with information about the ecological importance of their lands in the larger landscape and offered technical and financial assistance or incentives to help restore and maintain their lands in forest and conservation uses. 3. Planning for ecosystem restoration should be done at a large enough scale to consider the ecological linkages between urban and rural communities, particularly along watersheds. Despite the best efforts of public and private entities, America's urban and rural forests have been damaged & continue to be threatened by human and natural forces 4. Restoration strategies must focus on maintaining the capacity of ecosystems to provide ecological services for all dependent species human and non-human. 5. Long-term investment is needed to restore and maintain ecosystem health and to build the capacity of communities to sustain local economies based on ecosystem stewardship stewardship the occupation of being a steward or custodian. Referring to animals it implies the caring sort of relationship based on an acceptance of the need to include the rights of animals in overall plans to maintain financial viability. . 6. An ecosystem workforce is needed to restore and maintain healthy ecosystems, combining trained workers and citizen volunteers. 7. The economic value of the ecological services provided by trees and forests needs greater consideration in natural resource planning Resource planning may refer to:
8. Ecosystem restoration and maintenance efforts should be planned and implemented through open, inclusive, and transparent decisionmaking processes, particularly on public lands. 9. Ecosystem research needs to become a civic science involving community participants and providing accessible information for community use. 10. A commitment to monitoring ecological, social, and economic conditions is essential to work toward a vision of sustainable ecosystems and communities. PUBLIC POLICY GOALS 1. Increase support for policy research on the economic value of ecological services provided by trees and forests. 2. Increase technical and financial resources available to help communities assess ecosystem conditions and to plan and implement actions. 3. Heighten recognition of the public benefits of private forests and promote voluntary and/or incentive-based measures for ecosystem restoration and maintenance efforts by private landowners. 4. Encourage open and inclusive public processes in the planning and implementation of ecosystem restoration and maintenance projects. 5. Promote laws and policies that encourage collaboration among agencies, interests, and organizations rather than adversarial ad·ver·sar·i·al adj. Relating to or characteristic of an adversary; involving antagonistic elements: "the chasm between management and labor in this country, an often needlessly adversarial . . . actions. 6. Increase public and private investment in ecosystem restoration and in building the capacity of communities to maintain healthy ecosystems. 7. Heighten awareness of the ecological linkages between urban and rural communities. 8. Promote the creation of an ecosystem workforce through training and apprenticeship apprenticeship, system of learning a craft or trade from one who is engaged in it and of paying for the instruction by a given number of years of work. The practice was known in ancient Babylon, Egypt, Greece, and Rome, as well as in modern Europe and to some extent programs and new job opportunities. 9. Promote and ensure funding for innovative monitoring systems to ensure collaborative learning Collaborative learning is an umbrella term for a variety of approaches in education that involve joint intellectual effort by students or students and teachers. Collaborative learning refers to methodologies and environments in which learners engage in a common task in which each and support adoptive a·dop·tive adj. 1. a. Of or having to do with adoption. b. Characteristic of adoption. 2. Related by adoption: management. 10. Promote a "civic science approach to ecosystem research that respects local knowledge, seeks community participation, and provides accessible information for communities. |
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