The high-skill approach to ecosystem management: combining economic, ecological, and social objectives

63 p.The Northwest Forest Plan and the accompanying Northwest Economic Adjustment Initiative (NEAI) spawned many experiments in rural communities of the Pacific Northwest, experiments designed to benefit the residents and communities as well as achieve the ecological objectives of ecosystem management. This study examines five projects in California, Washington, and Oregon. Although created independently, these projects shared certain characteristics: they were designed to provide quality jobs for local residents, provide training for the workers, and explore new relationships and procurement arrangements with federal land management agencies. This report is a preliminary assessment of the impacts of these projects—-collectively dubbed the “high-skill” approach to ecosystem management—-on agencies, communities and the workforce