The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and the U.S. Forest Service request nominations for their fourth annual Two Chiefs' Partnership Award. The 2009 award is given in two categories, individual and group, to recognize exemplary partnership efforts promoting conservation and forest stewardship. Nominees must have worked jointly to achieve gains in forestry-related conservation with at least two of the following four organizations: conservation districts, NRCS, FS and State forestry agencies. Nominations should be submitted electronically via the Joint Forestry Team website by December 15.

The U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities has scheduled two webinar sessions as an opportunity to "bubble up" ideas from a diverse set of conservation thinkers for a potential application to the 2010 round of NRCS (Natural Resource Conservation Service)-CIG (Conservation Innovation Grants) Grant Leveraging Category funding. The Endowment hopes to generate ideas for conservation approaches and new technologies that will provide measurable results on-the-ground to advance forest sustainability and address the needs of rural forest-reliant communities. Anyone with interest is invited to join one of two scheduled webinars: Monday, November 30 at 3:00 pm EST and Wednesday, December 9 at 1:00 pm EST. Contact Michelle Christensen, michelle@usendowment.org, for more information.

In 2008, the Alabama Forestry Commission received reports of more than $500,000 in timber theft. This year, the amount of theft surpassed the half-million dollar mark in October and continues to climb.

NASF Fire Committee Chair and Arizona State Forester Vicki Christiansen was interviewed by Oregon Public Broadcasting last week about the recently passed FLAME Act.

Money quote: “We cannot continue our stewardship of this planet if we keep looking at public benefits and public wealth as somehow subordinate to private wealth,” said Mr. Pavan Sukhdev, a banker working with the United Nations Environment Program. Mr. Sukhdev is studying the creation of market systems that might include trading water rights, forest credits, and biodiversity credits as a cost-effective way of tackling the challenges posed by climate change.

The Idaho Department of Lands is looking for a Forestry/Information Resource Specialist in St. Maries, Idaho. Click here for more information and to apply.

Five forestry organizations in Montana are joining forces to make it easier for private landowners to tap into their expertise in forestry-related research and science, forest practices policy and in service, education and program delivery. The five partners --- the Montana Department of Natural Resource and Conservation, Forestry Division; the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service; the USDA Forest Service, Northern Region; Montana State University Extension Service; and the Montana Association of Conservation Districts --- have agreed to write a Montana Joint Forestry Strategic Plan by May 2010.

The Alaska Division of Forestry is seeking a Fire Management Officer and Fire Operations Forester to lead and coordinate the wildland fire management and suppression program in the northern region and statewide. Visit NASF's Employment section for more information and details on how to apply.

Roald Gundersen, an architect who founded Whole Tree Architecture and Construction, has made a career of working with whole, unmilled trees with small diameters that are typically passed over by traditional logging.

A $4.6 billion boost for the Department of the Interior and the U.S. Forest Service budgets in the 2010 appropriations bill includes a 16% increase for the Forest Service's State and Private Forestry programs. "This increased federal investment in America's forests from Congress and the President will help ensure that the public benefits forests provide continue to improve the quality of life for all Americans, today and into the future," said NASF president and Maryland State Forester Steven W. Koehn.

A new website, Tools for Engaging Landowners Effectively, has been developed for natural resource professionals by the Sustaining Family Forests Initiative (SFFI) using data from the National Woodland Owner Survey. SFFI is a collaborative of federal and state forestry and conservation agencies, businesses, and nonprofit organizations coordinated by the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies and the U.S. Forest Service's Family Forest Research Center.