(COEUR D’ALENE) – The Idaho Department of Lands (IDL) is seeking nominations for two expiring term appointments on the Idaho Forest Practices Advisory Committee (FPAC).

The committee’s next meeting is set for Thursday, December 17, 2020, in Coeur d’Alene.

The purpose of FPAC, as established by Idaho Code, is to provide technical assistance to IDL and the Idaho State Board of Land Commissioners (Land Board) in matters relating to the Idaho Forest Practices Act.  The IDL director appoints the members for three-year terms.

The FPAC typically meets two or three times per year depending on current issues. It is comprised of nine voting members qualified by experience and/or training to provide advice related to forest practices. Members include: a fisheries biologist; three private forest landowners who regularly engage in forest practices (one from north Idaho, one from south Idaho and one nonindustrial); two forest practice operators (one from north Idaho and one from south Idaho); and three representatives of the general public (one from north Idaho, one from south Idaho and one at-large).

Position details: The Forest Landowner South and the General Public Representative North three-year term appointments expire December 31. Current members Mr. Kelly Riggs (Landowner South Representative) and Dr. Timothy Link (General Public Representative North) have indicated to IDL their interest in continuing to serve additional terms.  Other nominations for these two positions will be considered as well.  Applicants must be Idaho residents. Interested organizations or individuals nominating for a position must send a short biography and description of the person’s experience and/or training related to forest practices to Gary Hess, Forestry Assistance Bureau, Regulatory and Stewardship Program Manager, by emailing ghess@idl.idaho.gov. Hess can also be reached by calling 208-666-8636.  Nominations close December 15, 2020.

Meeting details: The committee will meet at 9 a.m. PT on Thursday, December 17, 2020 in a Zoom conference.  One or more IDL Staff/FPAC Members may meet in person at the IDL Coeur d’Alene Staff office (Wolf Lodge room) and the IDL Boise Director’s Office (Garnet West room). The meeting is open to the public; an RSVP is required for anyone planning to attend in-person; in-person attendance will be limited by current Covid pandemic health restrictions to eight persons. In-person attendees must RSVP by December 14, 2020.  The agenda includes continued discussion of the 2014 Class I streamside tree-retention rule (or shade rule), equipment definitions for Cable-Assisted, Mechanized Harvesting and potential language clarification of existing rules. For further information, contact Forestry Assistance Bureau, Regulatory and Stewardship Program Manager Gary Hess by calling 208-666-8636 or emailing ghess@idl.idaho.gov.

 

CONTACT:                            Gary Hess

IDL Regulatory and Stewardship Program Manager

3284 W. Industrial Loop

Coeur d’Alene, ID 83815

(208) 666-8636

ghess@idl.idaho.gov