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Participants Current partners are those listed at the top of this document. Expanding this list
<br />has been identified as the key focus for work in FY 94. A series of meetings with
<br />leaders, managers, and researchers associated with potential partners is currently
<br />being planned. The purposes of these meetings include the identification of
<br />suitable research projects, and the identification of partners that can contribute
<br />additional resources to the effort over the ensuing four years.
<br />Sources of technical input Representatives of the partner agencies met with representatives of the Colorado
<br />Ecosystem Partnership (CEP) in February, 1994, to share information relative to
<br />CEP activities and the Front Range program. Some common needs identified at
<br />this meeting include: sociological analysis along with biophysical analysis; trans-
<br />boundary analysis; common methodology for identifying geographic and
<br />process/impact boundaries, improved trade-off assessments and information on
<br />historic variation; better methods for dealing with "trigger" issues such as water
<br />allocation, recreation, fire management, habitat fragmentation; comprehensive
<br />technology assessment; and definition of criteria for selecting study areas.
<br />Perhaps the most important shared need identified relates to finding ways to
<br />improve the public trust in government at all levels.
<br />Brief history and present The Front Range ecosystem research program has evolved over the past two
<br />status years through a series of intra-agency meetings involving the Rocky Mountain
<br />Region, Rocky Mountain Experiment station, and the Arapaho and Roosevelt
<br />and Pike and San Isabel National Forests. More recently, Colorado State
<br />University was added to the partnership list. As noted above, the present status
<br />of this effort is to focus on developing additional partners, primarily through a
<br />series of meetings.
<br />The complex ownership patterns and agency management and regulatory
<br />responsibilities present on the Front Range require that an organized process be
<br />developed to build a coalition of partners from local, county, state and federal
<br />levels. Activities at the meetings will include identifying common interests,
<br />concerns, needs and expectations, refining our understanding of the potential for
<br />conflict between partners, improving conflict management strategies, and jointly
<br />defining research program scope and direction for future years. Another
<br />important activity will be to identify resources partners can share to meet
<br />program objectives. The sessions will also provide a vehicle for information
<br />sharing that will support the collaborative process of building this partnership.
<br />The sessions will involve the public so as to bring them in as partners early on
<br />and to ensure they have ownership in the process. They will also provide a
<br />mechanism for developing a shared vision and understanding of goals and
<br />missions of agencies, non-governmental organizations, and private partners. In
<br />addition to defining the scope of the research program, another objective will be
<br />to help identify and refine major research problem elements subject to resource
<br />availability over the next 4 years and to formulate a mutually agreed upon
<br />approach for addressing these research problems.
<br />Funding sources -- Current funding is for $100,000 from US Forest Service Research, Washington
<br />office for FY 94. Subject to congressional inclusion in future budgets, this level of
<br />funding is projected to continue for the following four fiscal years (FY 95 - FY 98).
<br />The potential exists to increase the Forest Service funding level (to a maximum of
<br />$500,000 per fiscal year) if additional funding from other partners is forthcoming.
<br />Carl Edminster, RMS, 240 W. Prospect, Ft. Collins, CO, 80526, (303-498-1264),
<br />Contact Dale Brockway, Arapaho and Roosevelt NF (303-498-1021), Brian Kent, RMS, 240
<br />W. Prospect, Fort Collins, CO, 80526 (3013-498-1770), Joyce Berry, CSU, Ft. Collins,
<br />CO 80523, (303-491-5405), and Christie Cordon, Pike and San Isabel NF, 1920
<br />Valley Dr., Pueblo, CO 81008, (719-545-3729)
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