May National Council Society of American Foresters Luncheon and Program

Sally Collins Describes New Ecosystem Services Office at May NCSAF Lunch

Sally Collins, the director of the new USDA Office of Ecosystem Services and Markets (OESM), was the featured speaker at the May 14, 2009 NCSAF lunch. The OESM was created in December to implement actions authorized by the 2008 Farm Bill, including the development of new technical guidelines and science-based methods to assess environmental services benefits, which will in turn promote markets for ecosystem services.

Sally described the activities that she and her staff have been involved in over the last four months, which has consisted of many meetings with numerous stakeholders. She noted that the office has generated a fair amount of interest among the media, landowners, federal employees, and investors, and she is pleased that there is now a central federal “home” within USDA for these issues. She suggested that a market infrastructure is needed in order for investors to be interested in ecosystem services.

She offered a few observations about how her office will be approaching its responsibilities, including: (1) a broad approach to its mandate (i.e., although carbon trading is a major focus area, it’s not just about carbon); (2) the need to be proactive with national standards; (3) the desire to have a wide range of stakeholders at the table, in order to make this work for all parties; (4) the intention to build on experiences over the last 15 years in ecosystem services markets; and (5) the need to coordinate across government. NCSAF is grateful to Sally for taking time out of her busy schedule to speak our members.

Date:                May 14, 2009
Time:                11:30 AM to 1:00 PM

Location:          Lincoln Room of the Executive Dining Room, 3 rd Floor Whitten Building 1400 Independence Avenue SW Washington, DC

Format:            Buffet lunch, fee of $17.00 payable to the NCSAF treasurer.  (Lunch is optional; all are welcome to attend the program which will commence at approximately 12:00 PM)

Program:          Ms. Sally Collins, Director, USDA Office of Ecosystem Services and Markets

RSVP:              Terri Bates at batesmt@verizon.net by noon May 13th

How much do you know about the new USDA Office of Ecosystem Services and Markets (OESM) that was announced December, 2008?

The OESM was created to support the work of the Conservation and Land Management Environmental Services Board and assist the USDA Secretary in the development of new technical guidelines and science-based methods to assess environmental service benefits which will in turn promote markets for ecosystem services including carbon trading to mitigate climate change.   “Our Nation’s farms, ranches and forests provide goods and services that are vital to society…” said former Secretary Schafer.   Our own Sally Collins, former Associate Chief of the Forest Service and a member of the NCSAF, is the new Director and she has offered to come and talk with us about this new office on May 14 in the USDA Secretary’s Executive dining room.

Sally Collins was named first Director of the newly formed USDA Office of Ecosystem Services and Markets by USDA Secretary Ed Schafer in December, 2008.  Prior to being selected to establish this new office, she served as Associate Chief for the US Forest Service since August, 2001, where she enthusiastically led development of a community of interest in ecosystem services, within and beyond the Forest Service.

Prior to being selected as Associate Chief, Collins served as Associate Deputy Chief for the National Forest System beginning in April 2000.  With more than 20 years with the Forest Service in both Washington DC and Oregon, Sally has held positions including Deputy Forest Supervisor and Forest Supervisor on the Deschutes National Forest and Forest Planner on the Siuslaw National Forest.

Ms. Collins worked for the Bureau of Land Management in Colorado for four years, serving as a Wilderness Specialist, Environmental Coordinator, and Energy and Minerals Coordinator.  She was born in Ames, Iowa, and received her Bachelor's degree in Outdoor Recreation from the University of Colorado and her Master's degree in Public Administration, with Natural Resources Emphasis, from the University of Wyoming.  She has been an Associate Member of SAF since 2002.